GoFundMe has shared an update after donations raised for Eric Dane’s family were temporarily placed on hold.
Dane, recognized for roles in Grey’s Anatomy and Euphoria, died on February 19 this year following a diagnosis of ALS, a terminal condition that impacts the nervous system.
In the wake of his death, a fundraiser was launched by “Friends of the Dane Family” with the aim of supporting his daughters, Billie and Georgia.
At the time of writing, the appeal has brought in $337,482 toward its $500,000 goal.
Questions later surfaced after it became apparent that the money collected on the page was being held, prompting concern over when the funds would be transferred to the intended recipients.
GoFundMe has now explained why the donations are currently not being released.
The company said the fundraiser has been verified, and that the late actor’s family has now been added as the beneficiary.
According to a GoFundMe spokesperson, holding funds during checks is part of the platform’s normal process to ensure the money reaches the correct person.
The statement said: “GoFundMe’s Trust & Safety team was previously working to gather additional information and help ensure the intended beneficiary was added to the fundraiser, as part of our standard review process.
“Donations were safely held by our payment processors during this review process.”
The fundraiser has attracted significant support, including a $27,000 donation from Euphoria director Sam Levinson and his wife, Ashley, which remains the largest single contribution.
GoFundMe had previously told The San Fransisco Chronicle that the campaign was under review.
“Our Trust and Safety team is still looking into this GoFundMe and has reached out to the organizer to gather additional information,” the spokesperson said.
“All funds are being safely held by our payment processors during this review process. We can follow up as soon as there is an update available.”
Separately, Dane’s friend Mike McGuiness posted online about the motivation behind setting up the fundraiser and the impact of Dane’s illness.
“My friend of almost two decades just left us after a brutal battle with ALS,” he said. “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.”