On February 19, news of Eric Dane’s passing at the age of 53 left Hollywood in shock. But for Patrick Dempsey, it was not just the loss of a colleague it was the loss of a friend he had spoken to only days before.
Speaking on The Chris Evans Breakfast Show, Dempsey shared his grief openly.
“I just woke up this morning and was very sad to read the news,” he said. “It’s hard to put into words. I’m really heartbroken for his children.”
The two actors helped create one of television’s most iconic on-screen duos in Grey’s Anatomy. As Dr. Derek Shepherd and Dr. Mark Sloan better known to fans as McDreamy and McSteamy they began as rivals and evolved into close friends. On screen, they competed, teased, and clashed. Off screen, they built a friendship rooted in humor and mutual respect.
Dempsey revealed that he had spoken with Dane about a week before his death. They had continued texting and staying in touch despite busy schedules. But Dane’s health had declined rapidly.
“Some of our friends had gone to visit him,” Dempsey explained. “He was starting to lose his ability to speak, he was bedridden, and it was very difficult for him to swallow. His quality of life was declining very quickly.”
Dane publicly revealed his ALS diagnosis in 2025 and had been candid about the physical challenges he faced in recent months. Despite the progression of the disease, he remained determined to complete filming for Season 3 of Euphoria, which premiered on HBO in April. It was not just a professional commitment it was a reflection of his resilience and dedication as an artist.
Yet what Dempsey says he will remember most is not Dane’s striking screen presence, but his spirit.
“He had an incredible sense of humor,” Dempsey said. “He was the funniest guy. And he was such a joy to work with.”
He vividly recalled Dane’s first scene on Grey’s Anatomy, when Mark Sloan stepped out of a bathroom wrapped in nothing but a towel effortlessly confident and undeniably charismatic. “He came out in all his glory,” Dempsey remembered, “looking so fantastic that it made you feel completely insignificant and small.”
Behind that glamour, however, was a warm, generous man who made every set brighter.
The show’s creator, Shonda Rhimes, also paid tribute, calling Dane “a beloved member of the Shondaland and Grey’s Anatomy family.” She emphasized that his portrayal of Dr. Mark Sloan left an indelible mark on the series and on audiences around the world.
“We are grateful for the artistry, spirit, friendship, and kindness he shared with us over the years,” Rhimes said in her statement, offering her deepest condolences to his family and loved ones.
Eric Dane’s passing does more than mark the loss of a talented actor. It closes a chapter for a generation of viewers who grew up watching the dramatic surgeries and complicated love stories inside Seattle Grace Hospital.
And perhaps the most heartbreaking detail is not that he died at 53.
It is that the final exchange between two friends the men who once brought McDreamy and McSteamy to life has now become a memory.
Because in the end, what remains is not the nickname, the fame, or the spotlight.
It is the laughter, the friendship, and the quiet gratitude for having shared the journey together.