Actor Eric Dan — known for his work in HBO’s Euphoria as well as the medical-drama Grey’s Anatomy — has revealed that he has been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
“I have been diagnosed with ALS,” Dane told PEOPLE on Friday.
“I am grateful to have my loving family by my side as we navigate this next chapter.”
Dane revealed the news on Friday. (Source: Getty Images)
Despite his diagnosis with the rare disease, Dane stated that he will return to the set of Euphoria, which is scheduled to start filming on April 14.
“I feel fortunate that I am able to continue working and am looking forward to returning to [the] set of Euphoria next week.
“I kindly ask that you give my family and I privacy during this time.”
Dane is married to fellow actress Rebecca Gayheart and shares two children with her, Billie Beatrice (15) and Georgia Geraldine (13).
Despite his ALS diagnosis, Dane will return to the set of ‘Euphoria’ next week. (Source: Getty Images)
ALS is a rare degenerative disease that damages the nervous system and progressively paralyses the muscles over time. Due to ALS affecting nerve cells in the brain, patients can slowly lose their ability to eat, breathe, walk, and talk on their own.
There is currently no cure for ALS. Those affected by the disease can have a life expectancy of three to five years, although some individuals can live for decades with ALS.
ALS is known as Lou Gehrig’s disease due to Henry Lou Gehrig, a former Yankees baseball player who was diagnosed with the condition in 1939, at the age of 27. Other famous people affected by the condition include the late physicist Stephen Hawking, the late Spongebob Squarepants creator Stephen Hillenburg, and the singer Roberta Flack, who died earlier this year.
