The translation of the text is: «The death of Eric Dane: fans mourn the beloved actor»
23 february 2026 в 04:37
The death of Eric Dane at the age of 53 has left fans in mourning. The actor had openly shared his battle with ALS in recent months. His family confirmed the sad news in a statement: «With heavy hearts, we announce that Eric Dane passed away on Thursday after a courageous battle with ALS. He spent his final days surrounded by close friends, his devoted wife, and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the center of his world».
At the time of his death, Eric was still legally married to Rebecca Gayheart, but in recent years he had been in a relationship with Jannelle Shirtcliff. In response to the many tributes, Shirtcliff posted a heartfelt message honoring the late actor, reminiscing about their time together.
Jannelle, originally from Texas, is a cinematographer, photographer, and music video director. She previously spent ten years modeling before building a successful career in the creative field. Her photographs have been published in major outlets, and she has directed films and music videos.
In June 2025, Shirtcliff and Dane made their first public appearance together on the red carpet at the premiere of his Amazon Prime series «Countdown» in Los Angeles, although their relationship remained mostly private until his death.
According to her biography, Shirtcliff has two children, including a son named Bowie. After Dane’s death, she shared intimate moments, including a video where her daughter encourages him to smile during a photoshoot, highlighting the close bond between her children and Dane in his final months.
Shirtcliff and Dane were together on and off for about three years before his death in February 2026. After his ALS diagnosis, their relationship became more visible as they appeared together on the red carpet in 2025. Later, Shirtcliff posted a touching tribute on Instagram after his death, featuring candid photos and videos of their life together, giving fans a personal glimpse into their connection.
Despite the public nature of their relationship, Dane remained legally married to Gayheart, with whom he had separated but later reconciled, partially halting the divorce process in 2025 amid his illness. In an essay for The Cut in December 2025, Gayheart described their bond as deeply significant, even if it was no longer romantic.
«Eric knows that I will always wish him the best», - she wrote. «I will do everything I can to support him. And I know he will do the same for me… So, whatever I can do to ease this path for him, I want to do it. And I want to show this to my daughters: ‘This is what you do. This is right.'»
Gayheart noted that their daughters became a key reason for their reconciliation, adding that she hopes to demonstrate maturity and compassion to her children so they can see «two adults trying to be mature and focused on what’s important»
At the time of his death, Eric was still legally married to Rebecca Gayheart, but in recent years he had been in a relationship with Jannelle Shirtcliff. In response to the many tributes, Shirtcliff posted a heartfelt message honoring the late actor, reminiscing about their time together.
Jannelle, originally from Texas, is a cinematographer, photographer, and music video director. She previously spent ten years modeling before building a successful career in the creative field. Her photographs have been published in major outlets, and she has directed films and music videos.
In June 2025, Shirtcliff and Dane made their first public appearance together on the red carpet at the premiere of his Amazon Prime series «Countdown» in Los Angeles, although their relationship remained mostly private until his death.
According to her biography, Shirtcliff has two children, including a son named Bowie. After Dane’s death, she shared intimate moments, including a video where her daughter encourages him to smile during a photoshoot, highlighting the close bond between her children and Dane in his final months.
Shirtcliff and Dane were together on and off for about three years before his death in February 2026. After his ALS diagnosis, their relationship became more visible as they appeared together on the red carpet in 2025. Later, Shirtcliff posted a touching tribute on Instagram after his death, featuring candid photos and videos of their life together, giving fans a personal glimpse into their connection.
Despite the public nature of their relationship, Dane remained legally married to Gayheart, with whom he had separated but later reconciled, partially halting the divorce process in 2025 amid his illness. In an essay for The Cut in December 2025, Gayheart described their bond as deeply significant, even if it was no longer romantic.
«Eric knows that I will always wish him the best», - she wrote. «I will do everything I can to support him. And I know he will do the same for me… So, whatever I can do to ease this path for him, I want to do it. And I want to show this to my daughters: ‘This is what you do. This is right.'»
Gayheart noted that their daughters became a key reason for their reconciliation, adding that she hopes to demonstrate maturity and compassion to her children so they can see «two adults trying to be mature and focused on what’s important»
© Smirnova Olga
