As the world was rocked by the announcement of the passing of Eric Dane Thursday (Feb. 19), Black women from every corner of the internet are an emotional mess. Nearly one year after announcing his ALS diagnosis, the famed “Grey Anatomy” star was called home at age 53, and fans have been sliding down their walls in pure devastation. Grab us some tissue, and we will fill you in.
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According to PEOPLE, Dane’s death comes nearly ten months after he went public with his battle against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The grief hit our timelines like a gut-punch — especially Black women who swooned over Dr. Mark Sloan as one of our blue-eyed TV heartthrobs.
While he was a standout actor with his role on HBO’s “Euphoria,” when it comes to the fans of Grey’s Anatomy, he will forever be “McSteamy,” the superfine plastic surgeon who walked onto our screens in 2006 wearing nothing but a smile and a towel. From his brotherhood with Derek Shepard (played by Patrick Dempsey) to playing a villain in the latest “Bad Boys” film with Martin Lawrence and Will Smith, he earned his title as a legend in the making.
And that is exactly why the internet is in shambles. We haven’t seen so much devastation of an adored blue-eyed heartthrob since Paul Walker passed away from a tragic car accident in 2013. Black women took to the internet to share their grief over Dane’s untimely passing.
“Eric Dane was a beloved member of the Shondaland and ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ families,” creator of Grey’s Anatomy, Shonda Rhimes, posted on Threads. “He was truly a gifted actor whose portrayal of Dr. Mark Sloan left an indelible mark on the series and on audiences around the world.” As touching as Rhimes’ tribute is, social media is taking this loss especially hard.
One creator showed how her neighbor broke the news to her the moment she opened the door. “Eric Dane just died 17 minutes ago,” the neighbor shared as her friend captured on film sliding down the wall in shock.
Popular creator Dominique Morgan shared her thoughts about his passing. “I didn’t plan on coming on before you that much this evening, but we are bereaved. Not McSteamy,” Morgan said, capturing the exact sentiment that Black women are hurting. She shared in that same level of devastation, explaining how the public is just now processing the speed of his illness.
The comments flooded in under the video with fans sharing in their grief.
“Crying real tears,” a TikTok user wrote. “At my FIRST job at Arclight Cinemas in Sherman Oaks I was having a really bad day, and Eric came in and as I was seating him in the theater he stopped and said I had a beautiful smile. It turned my whole day around. Every time I saw him after he was so kind. Not flirty. Never inappropriate. Just kind.”
“10 months! “a TikTok user wrote. “10 months since he was first diagnosed. Lord, this was too fast. too fast.
The beloved actor leaves behind his two children, Billie and Georgia, and their mother, actress Rebecca Gayheart.
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