Brittany Kelley
I’ve watched Mark Sloan die at least eight times.
The first time was when I watched Shodna Rhimes’ “Grey’s Anatomy” in ninth grade. It only took years and years of begging my parents to get Netflix. The show was 11 seasons in and I somehow managed to avoid spoilers.
Oh boy was I excited. I would finally get to see the iconic McDreamy everyone always talked about and his — as the name suggests — attractive-friend-turned-enemy-turned-friend again, McSteamy.
Although Patrick Dempsey, or Derek Shepherd, played — what I deem as a historically accurate — dreamy, older man, I was surprised by Eric Dane aka Mark Sloan aka McSteamy.
From the beginning, he was a fun, lovable character, even when it was revealed he slept with Shepherd’s wife. There was an aura of confidence, goofiness and genuine care that we got to know throughout the years. He matured on screen in front of my 14-year-old eyes. I watched him own up to his mistakes, fall in love and become a father.
Then, I watched him get into a plane crash, lose the love of his life to wolves, miraculously recover and, ultimately, succumb to his injuries.
His sudden, short-term recovery was called a "surge." I had never heard of it before. I was always learning something new from the show and this was no different. According to the Cleveland Clinic, terminal lucidity, or “the surge” is when a patient has an occurrence of clarity and energy before death. Now, I know. Still, it hurts.
Each time I watch the scene, I expect it to get easier; I expect my hope to lessen and it never does.
Thirteen-and-a-half years after I watched Mark die, Eric Dane passed at the age of 53 on Feb. 19, 2026 — 20 years to the day of his first appearance on the show. I didn’t know that my heart would break just the same, if not worse.
When I found out the news, I sobbed. This man who created the character I’ve loved for years without him knowing, this man who got me through difficult days in my comfort show, was gone.
Dane was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS in April 2025. Less than a year later, his family shared that he passed surrounded by those he loved.
My heart hurt for 14-year-old me, who fell in love with Sloan, and therefore, Dane, but it shattered for his family.
ALS is a disease that we’ve all heard of; we all did the challenge back in 2014. But it’s different when you’re young, when you don’t really understand the cruel nature of it.
It’s a nerve disease that causes loss of muscle control, affecting the ability to move, speak, eat and breathe, said the Mayo Clinic.
Immediately after Dane was diagnosed, he didn’t let his diagnosis control his life. He continued acting until he couldn’t — even filming season three of HBO’s “Euphoria” — he spoke out in awareness and he continued being a father.
Like many people, he shared his frustrations with the fatal nature of the disease, particularly with his parenthood: “I’m angry because my father was taken from me when I was young and now, there’s a very good chance I’m going to be taken from my girls while they are young,” said Dane in a June 2025 interview.
I can’t stop thinking about how wrong this whole circumstance is. Why did his daughters, only aged 15 and 14, have to lose their dad? Why did he have to die so young? Why is there no cure? I’m frustrated, too. I hate death because it makes me spiral. I don’t understand it, I’ve never processed it and it makes me scared. To be childish, it’s not fair. Dane is one of few people that have passed that have caused these feelings within myself. That being said, he is the only one who, somehow, comforted me.
He participated in an interview called “Famous Last Words,” which has only aired two episodes. It was with the understanding that the footage would be released after his passing.
“It’s kind of cool, the idea of living on past the moment when you peace out,” said Dane.
Despite his calm attitude and jokes, the silence in the interview room is deafening.
I couldn’t get through five minutes without breaking into tears. Still, I pushed through it. I forced myself to feel uncomfortable because I can’t imagine how uncomfortable he felt.
He talked about his life, his family, favorite memories and, most importantly, shared valuable lessons that he learned from ALS to his children: Live now. Fall in love. Choose your friends wisely. Fight.
The ability to do this interview knowing the context, yet continuing to find light and joy in it, is remarkable. His demeanor and acceptance brought me comfort. By the end, my heart hurt a little less. He’s still fixing my bad days 13 years later.
Prior to his final last words — “Billie and Georgie. You are my heart. You are my everything. Goodnight. I love you.” — he stated that, “We live on in the memories of the people that will miss us.”
I hope you know that there are many people missing you right now. You will live on for a lifetime.
Thank you for giving me Mark Sloan and thank you for taking care of me at 14 and, even now, at 25.
May you rest in peace.
Kelley is news editor of the Hays Free Press and News-Dispatch. She can reached via email at [email protected].
