Eric Dane, known for his role in Grey’s Anatomy, initially mistook the first symptom of his ALS for overuse from texting.
At 52, he publicly shared his diagnosis of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in April.
This progressive condition affects the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, deteriorating over time, as highlighted by the Mayo Clinic.
Recently, Dane was seen enjoying a rare outing with his family, which includes his wife Rebecca Gayheart and their teenager, Georgia, according to Page Six.
The Euphoria actor was captured in a wheelchair as they headed to the popular Sushi Park restaurant in West Hollywood on Thursday (October 30).
Dane maintained a relaxed and cheerful demeanor, dressed in a casual black T-shirt and beige trousers, with a black puffer jacket added for warmth later on.
The actor, widely recognized for his portrayal of Dr. Mark Sloan on Grey’s Anatomy, previously discussed the initial symptom of ALS he noticed.
In an interview on Good Morning America in June, he shared: “I started experiencing some weakness in my right hand and I didn’t really think anything of it at the time.
“I thought maybe I had been texting too much or my hand was fatigued.
“But a few weeks later I noticed it had gotten a little worse so I went and saw a hand specialist and he sent me to another hand specialist.
“I went and saw a neurologist and they sent me to another neurologist and said this is way above [his] pay grade.”
It took nine months of searching for answers before the actor was finally diagnosed with ALS.
A year after first noticing symptoms, Dane stated: “I have one functioning arm, my dominant side is [my right], my left side is functioning, my right side is completely stopped working.
“My left arm is going, I feel like a couple few more months and I wont have my left either, it is sobering.”
ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease after the famous baseball player who had it, is a progressive neurological disorder that gradually takes away muscle control.
Symptoms often start off mildly, like muscle twitches, limb weakness, or difficulty speaking or swallowing.
As the disease progresses, it impacts muscles involved in movement, speech, eating, and even breathing.
While ALS generally does not impair cognitive function, those affected by it eventually lose nearly all voluntary movement, making it a particularly devastating condition.
Currently, there is no cure.
The Muscular Dystrophy Association notes that most ALS patients live between three and five years post-diagnosis, though some live much longer.