Dempsey praised his fellow TGIT heartthrob for being “incredibly courageous in the face of this horrible disease.”

Patrick Dempsey reveals status with Grey’s Anatomy costar Eric Dane amid ALS battle: ‘It’s heartbreaking’

Dempsey praised his fellow TGIT heartthrob for being "incredibly courageous in the face of this horrible disease."

By Ryan Coleman

Ryan Coleman

Ryan Coleman is a news writer for with previous work in MUBI Notebook, Slant, and the LA Review of Books.

EW's editorial guidelines

January 28, 2026 9:50 p.m. ET

Patrick Dempsey and Eric Dane on 'Grey's Anatomy'. Credit:

Eric McCandless/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty

Patrick Dempsey is standing with his former *Grey's Anatomy* costar Eric Dane through thick and thin.

Two of TV's most beloved heartthrobs maxed out the barometer at Seattle Grace together for 10 seasons. Though it's been seven years since they last both appeared on *Grey's*, Dempsey recently proved that ties like those aren't easily severed — especially in the face of Dane's ALS diagnosis, which he revealed last May.

The star of the upcoming crime thriller series *Memory of a Killer *shared in a Wednesday interview with *Parade** *that he "spoke to [Dane] a few weeks ago. I've been texting with him. We were trying to get him in [*Killer*] but unfortunately, the progression of his disease made it virtually impossible. But I was happy to see that he was here in Toronto working on, I think, another medical drama."

Eric Dane and Patrick Dempsey at the People's Choice Awards in 2007.

Vince Bucci/Getty

Dempsey was referring to *Brilliant Minds*, the NBC medical procedural starring Zachary Quinto that Dane guested on in November. On the season 2 episode "The Fire Fighter," Dane played Matthew Ramati, a firefighter recently diagnosed with ALS who struggles to share the news with his family. Series creator Michael Grassi recalled the day the episode aired that Dane's portrayal was so powerful, he received "a 10-minute standing ovation after shooting that scene."

Though Dempsey wasn't able to make a spot for Dane on his new series work, he explained, "I do try to stay in touch and see how he's doing. I think he's been incredibly courageous in the face of this horrible disease."

Shonda Rhimes reveals the 'Grey's Anatomy' shocker that 'horrified' her on rewatch

Eric Dane misses awards ceremony due to 'physical realities' of ALS

Dempsey continued, "He's such a wonderful human being. He has such a great sense of humor, and he's so intelligent. I've always enjoyed working and being around Eric. It's heartbreaking. It really is. For him and for his family. You feel for them when you see this terrible disease and how quickly it attacks the body. But he's bringing a lot of light to that, and he’s using his platform in a positive way. I wish him the best."

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our ******EW Dispatch newsletter******.*****

Eric Dane in Washington, D.C., in 2025.

Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post via Getty

A week after he appeared on *Brilliant Minds*, Dane opened up about the grim realities of living with the neurological disease, which progressively weakens muscle control and has no cure.

"I have no reason to be in a good spirit at any time, on any given day," he shared at the time. "I don't think anybody would blame me if I went upstairs in my bedroom, crawled under the sheets, and spent the next two weeks crying."

Still, Dane has kept hope alive by becoming an ambassador for the nonprofit advocacy organization I AM ALS, which fights to discover a cure.**

- Celebrities & Creators

- Celebrity Health

Original Article on Source

Source: “EW Celebrity”