'Grey's Anatomy' star Eric Dane dies at 53

Actor Eric Dane, who played the handsome Dr. Mark Sloan on the hit television series "Grey's Anatomy," has died on Thursday aged 53, his family said, less than a year after revealing that he suffered from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

For 15 years, Dane played a plastic surgeon nicknamed "McSteamy" by female characters in the show. He also starred in the series Euphoria, and said after the diagnosis, he would still return to the set for its third season.

"Eric Dane passed on Thursday afternoon following a courageous battle with ALS," his family said in a statement, according to People magazine and other media. "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."

ALS is a progressive disease in which a person’s brain loses connection with the muscles. It is also known as Lou Gehrig's disease after the Hall of Fame baseball player who died from it in 1941 at age 37.

"Throughout his journey with ALS, Eric became a passionate advocate for awareness and research, determined to make a difference for others facing the same fight," Dane's family added.

Dane and his wife, actor Rebecca Gayheart, the mother of their two children, separated in 2018 after 14 years of marriage.

But last March, just before Dane announced his diagnosis, Gayheart sought to dismiss her divorce petition, People said, citing court documents.

Eric William Dane, the older of two brothers, was born on November 9, 1972, in San Francisco, to an architect father and a homemaker mother, his biography on IMDb.com shows.

His first television role was in The Wonder Years in 1993, while 2005 brought his big break with Grey's Anatomy. His big screen credits include Marley & Me and X-Men: The Last Stand.