In a Netflix special entitled Famous Last Words, the late Eric Dane sat down with Brad Falchuk to give one final interview.
It was agreed that the interview would not be released until after his death. Prior to Dane’s passing at 53 years old on Thursday, February 19, that interview had not been released.
At the very end of the interview, Falchuk stepped out of the room to give Dane the chance to speak privately to the camera and share a message directed to his two teenage daughters, Billie and Georgia.
Because of the progressive neurodegenerative disease ALS that he had been battling for some time at the time of the interview, his speech was slowed, and he stumbled at times. However, his words were powerful and poignant.
“Overall, we had a blast, didn’t we?” he said, speaking to his daughters. “I remember all the times we spent at the beach. The two of you, me and Mom, in Malibu, Santa Monica, Hawaii, Mexico. I see you now playing in the ocean for hours, my water babies.”
“Those days, pun intended, were heaven,” he added.
The Grey’s Anatomy actor went on to describe four important lessons that he learned throughout his life and particularly during his time battling ALS.
“I hope you won’t just listen to me, I hope you’ll hear me,” he began. “First, live now, right now in the present. It’s hard, but I learned to do that.”
He expressed regret for wasting time overthinking things he had done in the past.
“I replayed decisions, second-guessed myself. ‘I should have done this. I never should’ve done that.’ No more,” he said.
He then encouraged his daughters to fall in love, even if it isn’t with another person.
“Find your passion, your joy. Find the thing that makes you wanna get up in the morning. Drives you through the entire day,” he went on.
His third lesson involved choosing friends wisely.
“The best of them will give back to you. No judgment. No conditions. No questions asked,” he said.
Finally, the actor shared the value of perseverance, telling his daughters, “fight with every ounce of your being and with dignity.”
“This disease is slowly taking my body, but it will never take my spirit,” he told them.