Eric Dane has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
“I have been diagnosed with ALS,” he tells PEOPLE. “I am grateful to have my loving family by my side as we navigate this next chapter.”
The actor, 52, is married to Rebecca Gayheart and the couple share two children, Billie Beatrice, 15, and Georgia Geraldine, 13.
“I feel fortunate that I am able to continue working and am looking forward to returning to set of Euphoria next week,” he adds. “I kindly ask that you give my family and I privacy during this time.”
Dane — who stars as the Jacobs family patriarch on Euphoria — is set to begin production of season 3 of the hit HBO show on April 14.
ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a rare degenerative disease that causes progressive paralysis of the muscles. Patients first experience twitching or weakness in a limb, often followed by slurred speech. According to the Mayo Clinic, because the disease affects the nerve cells in the brain and spine that control muscle movement, patients slowly lose their ability to speak, eat, walk, and breathe independently.
There’s no cure for ALS, and people usually live three to five years after diagnosis, according to the Muscular Dystrophy Association. However, some patients can live decades.
