The death of "Grey's Anatomy" actor Eric Dane coincided with an important anniversary for the medical drama star.
Dane, who died on Thursday, Feb. 19, following a battle with ALS, joined the cast of "Grey's Anatomy" in February 2006, guest-starring as Dr. Mark Sloan, a role that would later make him a fan-favorite heartthrob on the ABC series.
Dane's first episode, titled "Yesterday," originally aired during the show's sophomore season on Feb. 19, 2006, which means the actor's death was also the 20th anniversary of his "Grey's" debut.
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Dane revealed his diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease, in an April interview with People magazine. He later revealed he had lost use of his right arm.
"With heavy hearts, we share that Eric Dane passed on Thursday afternoon following a courageous battle with ALS," Dane's representative, Melissa Bank, confirmed in a Thursday statement to USA TODAY. "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."
Three weeks before his death, Dane dropped out of an ALS Network gala "due to the physical realities of living with ALS," the organization said in a Jan. 25 statement to USA TODAY. The actor was to be honored with the Dean and Kathleen Rasmussen Advocate of the Year Award.
"Throughout his journey with ALS, Eric became a passionate advocate for awareness and research," Bank's statement continued. He was "determined to make a difference for others facing the same fight."
How Eric Dane became the iconic 'Dr. McSteamy'
Dane was best known for playing Dr. Mark Sloan, the charismatic and flirtatious plastic surgeon at Grey Sloan Memorial, on "Grey's Anatomy" from 2006 to 2012 (including a brief reprisal in 2021).
He first appeared in the medical drama as a guest star in Season 2, portraying the plastic surgeon whom the medical interns nicknamed "Dr. McSteamy," opposite former best friend Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey), nicknamed "Dr. McDreamy."
Dane was later cast as a series regular from Seasons 3 to 8, during which his character fell in love with Lexie Grey (Chyler Leigh) and had a child with Callie Torres (Sara Ramirez). His character died in the Season 9 premiere following injuries from a plane crash in the Season 8 finale.
After his exit, Dane starred in the TNT action drama "The Last Ship," in which he played Captain Tom Chandler, for five seasons between 2014 and 2018. His career, which began with modest appearances in "The Wonder Years," "Married… with Children" and "Roseanne," later led to more notable appearances in "Charmed," "X-Men: The Last Stand," "Marley & Me," "Burlesque," "Bad Boys: Ride or Die" and the HBO drama "Euphoria."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Eric Dane died on 20th anniversary of his first 'Grey's Anatomy' appearance
