Eric Dane's 'Blindsided' Ex-Girlfriend Shows Generosity Amid GoFundMe Backlash

Eric Dane's ex-girlfriend shows that charity goes beyond misunderstanding. 

Priya Jain has joined other industry stars to donate a lump sum to the late actor's GoFundMe set up for the two daughters he left behind amid the backlash. With the flood of donations, his friends hope the funds raised will be able to provide long-term stability for his teenage daughters.

Eric Dane passed away on Thursday, February 19, 2026, after battling with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). He shared his diagnosis with the world less than a year ago before his death.

Jain has joined other celebrities who loved and cared for her ex to help the family he left behind financially. The "Not Without Hope" actress's donation has been recorded among the high numbers as she gave $10,000 to the fundraiser.

About 4,000 donations have come in, raising the total amount received to over $450,000 of the $500,000 target amount. The initial target was set at $250,000, but was increased as the donations kept flooding in.

The page was launched hours after the actor's death by "Friends of the Dane family," with ex-wife Rebecca Gayheart serving as "Beneficiary."

US Weekly shared that the actress and Dane reconnected with their relationship as friends months before his passing. They previously dated for almost a year and were first linked in November 2024.

Insiders close to the model also noted that the news of Dane's death came as a shock to her, stating that she did not expect it to happen so quickly. "She has a lot of love for his family [and] knows how hard this is for his daughters," they added.

Jain was not the only star to send in thousands of dollars. Other high-profile stars gave large donations, such as Hailey Bieber, who donated $20,000, and "Euphoria" creator Sam Levinson, who gave $27,000.

Gayheart confirmed her ex-husband's death in a statement on Thursday afternoon. "With heavy hearts, we share that Dane passed on Thursday afternoon following a courageous battle with ALS. He spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife, and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the center of his world," her statement read.

She also stated that Dane had become an advocate for research and awareness for ALS and was determined to make a difference. According to Mayo Clinic, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.

ALS gets worse over time, causing loss of muscle control. There is no cure for the fatal disease as it affects control of the muscles needed to move, speak, eat, and breathe.

A short while after the page was launched, other entertainers publicized the crowdfunding page via their social media accounts. Mike McGuiness wrote via Instagram, "My friend of almost two decades just left us after a brutal battle with ALS. I'm the positive spin guy and can come up with something hopeful in most any situation. This one broke me." He then posted the link to the GoFundMe on his story, asking his followers to help.

Gayheart did not publicly acknowledge the initiative until two days later. She shared pictures of her late husband and their daughters on her Instagram stories and linked fans to the GoFundMe page, writing "Thank you to everyone" beside the link.

A pre-recorded video was released shortly after his death, showing the heartfelt messages he left for Billie and Georgia. Dane reflected on their relationship and the fun times they spent at the beach together.

"Billie and Georgia, these words are for you. I tried, I stumbled sometimes, but I tried. Overall, we had a blast, didn't we? I remember all the times we spent at the beach, the two of you, me, and Mom in Malibu, Santa Monica, Hawaii, Mexico," he said.

Through his slurred words, Dane also left valuable lessons for his girls, advising them to live n the present, fall in love, and have passion for something. He admitted to previously struggling with self-doubt while urging his daughters not to lose themselves in the same feat.

"When you face challenges, health or otherwise, fight. Never give up. Fight until your last breath," Dane strongly admonished, adding that "this disease is slowly taking my body, but it will never take my spirit." The Hollywood star said he hopes his girls remember him as a good and loving father.

As reported by The Blast, he concluded his message by saying, "Billie and Georgia, you are my heart. You are my everything. Good night. I love you. Those are my last words."

Dane walked the red carpet last June with producer Janell Shirtcliff, which made for public gasps as he was allegedly still dating Jain at the time.  At that time, it was public knowledge that Dane and Jain had become exclusive since November 2024.

Insiders claim that the "Grey's Anatomy" star had also been in an  "on-and-off relationship" with Shirtcliff for over three years.

Bringing Shirtcliff instead of Jain to the L.A. premiere of his new series "Countdown" seemed to have left Jain "blindsided," as she had never heard of the producer until she stepped out with her supposed boyfriend.

The Blast shared that the model had been spending almost every night at his house and even had a lot of clothes there. A source, speaking about Jain and Dane, claimed that "They never broke up," as Shirtcliff's presence turned the situation into a love triangle.

Shortly after his passing, the producer uploaded pictures of the late actor on he Instagram Stories, giving a glimpse at the fun times they spent together.

The Blast reported that one of the images showed Dane kissing her shoulder. At the same time, she was clad in a sleeveless strip dress paired with a gold chain and a black bucket hat. 

Another one captured Dane in a chair, waiting to get a tattoo, wearing a big smile on his face, and the next was the dad of two at a horse stable, posing with a stunning horse behind him. He dressed like a cowboy in a white shirt and tan pants combo, paired with a tan cowboy hat and white sunglasses.

While Shirtcliff did not write any tribute or attach any caption to the pictures, it was obvious she was reflecting on the beautiful moments they shared while he was still alive amid their on-and-off relationship.

Rest In Peace, Eric Dane!