In the wake of Eric Dane‘s passing on February 19 after battling ALS, a GoFundMe campaign popped up a day later to “provide stability during this incredibly difficult time” for his daughters, Billie, 15, and Georgia, 14.
Now, fans have questions about the state of the Grey’s Anatomy star’s finances, just a week after James Van Der Beek’s similar GoFundMe account caused controversy. The backlash is understandable on the surface, given the fact that Hollywood actors traditionally earn a lucrative salary; however, times have changed in the entertainment industry.
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Dane’s friend, Mike McGuiness, broke it down on an Instagram post about why the GoFundMe was necessary after his death.
Eric Dane, Billie Dane, Georgia Dane and Rebecca Gayheart.
Rob Latour/Variety/Variety
“Covid and ALS did a number on his work life, and he sadly couldn’t leave his family with the resources he had hoped,” McGuiness wrote in the now-deleted section of the caption, per The Blast. “A GoFundMe is being made, and I will post it on my story for anyone able to help.”
“My friend of almost two decades just left us after a brutal battle with ALS,” he continued. “I’m the positive spin guy and can come up with something hopeful in most any situation. This one broke me. I had nothing to say; it’s about as hopeless an affliction one could get. I truly don’t know if I could muster grace or dignity in that spot. Eric did.”
Hollywood has endured a series of blows from the pandemic to the extended strikes in 2023, and Dane’s health crisis didn’t help the situation. He was able to complete the third season of Euphoria, an episode of Brilliant Minds, and the first season of Prime Video’s Countdown in the last two years of his life. Still, the medical expenses were significant.
His wife, Rebecca Gayheart, explained that Eric had “24/7 nurses” in an essay for The Cut in December 2025. “The week is divided into 21 shifts. There are times that shifts aren’t covered, so I cover them.” And E! News reported that Johnny Depp “welcomed him to stay at one of his Los Angeles homes free of charge,” so he didn’t have to worry about housing costs.
According to the ALS Association, in-home care can exceed over $669,000, with additional costs like wheelchairs, ventilators, prescriptions, and hospital stays adding to that total. While many fans are uncomfortable contributing money to a celebrity with privileged means, the outcry could generate donations to the ALS Association for future research in Dane’s memory.
Dane’s GoFundMe stands at $349,322 as of February 22, with Hailey Bieber as one of the top donors at $20,000.
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