The late actor Eric Dane offered a candid accounting of his extensive history with substance abuse, his departure from television drama “Grey’s Anatomy” and the physical toll of his battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in excerpts from his posthumous memoir, People reported.
The book, titled “My Book of Days: A Memoir in Moments,” is scheduled to hit shelves on Nov. 3. Dane, best known for portraying Dr. Mark Sloan on the long-running ABC medical drama and Cal Jacobs on HBO’s “Euphoria,” died on Feb. 19 at the age of 53 from respiratory failure linked to ALS.
A ‘dark period’ of substance abuse
In passages published from the memoir, Dane described his 20s as a “dark period” dominated by illicit narcotics and prescription medications, Page Six reported. Dane wrote that while he secured occasional auditions and acting jobs during those years, his daily life centered on substance use.
“I got high, I got stoned, I got wasted, I shot up, I freebased, I did every drug imaginable,” Dane wrote, according to Page Six. He listed a wide variety of substances he consumed, including alcohol, marijuana, heroin, cocaine, crack, crystal meth, hallucinogens, muscle relaxers, stimulants and numerous prescription painkillers such as Vicodin, Percocet and OxyContin. He added that he believed there was scarcely a drug available that he had not consumed.
Even after securing steady acting work, Dane continued to struggle. While appearing on “Grey’s Anatomy,” which he joined during its second season, Dane entered rehabilitation facilities five times, according to ComingSoon.net. He noted that series creator Shonda Rhimes repeatedly checked on him and offered him time away from production if required.
Addressing his 2012 departure from the program after eight seasons, Dane wrote that his exit was motivated by production budget limits rather than his personal conduct, ComingSoon.net reported. While acknowledging that his addiction “didn’t help,” Dane wrote that the choice came down to finances, explaining, “Despite Mark Sloan’s popularity, I have become too expensive. I have become expendable.” He added that he felt ready to leave the role behind after exploring every dimension of the character.
Family rescue and living with ALS
The memoir also details the severe physical challenges Dane confronted following his ALS diagnosis, the Daily Mail reported. Reports gave conflicting timelines for when he learned of the condition, with Page Six reporting the diagnosis occurred in 2025 and the Daily Mail reporting it happened in 2024.
Dane wrote about a terrifying incident during an Antigua vacation when he lost his ability to swim while in open water, according to the Daily Mail. His 14-year-old daughter, Georgia, along with a friend, stepped in to pull him back to safety at their boat. Dane had previously recounted the event during a June 2025 appearance on “Good Morning America,” explaining that the experience made him realize he was no longer safe in the ocean.
Following the rescue, Dane phoned his estranged wife, Rebecca Gayheart. Dane wrote that after his daughter handed him the telephone, he told Gayheart, “I can’t swim, Rebecca … I can’t swim,” prompting an emotional conversation as both wept over the progression of his illness, the Daily Mail reported. The couple married in 2004, and while Gayheart filed for divorce in 2018, the proceedings were never finalized, and the two remained close.
Dane is survived by Gayheart and their two daughters, Billie, 16, and Georgia, 14. What remains to be seen is how fans and fellow advocates will receive the full text of his memoir when it arrives in stores next month.
