'Grey’s Anatomy' alum Katherine Heigl pays tribute to former costar Eric Dane

Entertainment Weekly • February 23, 2026 • entertainment

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Katherine Heigl shared an emotional tribute to her late Grey's Anatomy costar Eric Dane, who passed away at 53 after battling ALS, expressing her struggle with grieving publicly.
Heigl addressed Dane’s wife Rebecca Gayheart and their daughters, acknowledging the difficulty of loss and quoted Robert Frost’s poem "Nothing Gold Can Stay" to honor Dane’s memory.
Dane joined Grey’s Anatomy in season 2 and remained until season 9, while Heigl was part of the show from the start until midway through season 6; they shared several seasons together.
Fellow cast members, including Chyler Leigh and Patrick Dempsey, also paid heartfelt tributes, highlighting Dane’s humor, intelligence, and joyful presence on