In a heartbreaking farewell delivered just after his death, Euphoria Star Eric Dane left a powerful final message for his two teenage daughters.
The actor died Thursday, February 19, at the age of 53, following a ten-month battle with ALS.
Before he died, Dane sat down for a secret interview with Netflix for the series Famous Last Wordswhich was only made public after his death.
In the final moments, the camera was left on Dane so he could speak directly to 15-year-old Billie and 14-year-old Georgia.
Beginning with the moving statement, “Billie and Georgia, these words are for you,” Dane admitted that while he’s had his share of stumbles as a father, he’s always done his best.
He fondly remembered their times together at the beach, telling his daughters that he would always see them playing in the waves.
He told them those days were “heaven.”
Dane shared four essential life lessons he learned while living with his illness.
His first piece of advice was to stay grounded in the present moment. “Living now, now, in the present. It’s hard, but I’ve learned to do it,” he said.
He explained that for years he had wasted time worrying about the past and questioning his choices, but his illness had forced him to cherish the “now” in order to survive.
His second lesson was about finding purpose.
“Second, to fall in love. Not necessarily with a person, although I recommend that as well. But to fall in love with something,” he insisted.
He told his daughters how much he still loved theater, a passion he discovered at their age, and encouraged them to find what makes them want to get up in the morning and “really go for it.”
He also stressed the importance of having a strong support system.
“Third, choose your friends wisely. Find your friends and allow them to find you, then give yourself to them. The best of them will reciprocate. No judgment. No strings attached. No questions asked.”
Dane shared his deep gratitude to his own friends, who continued to show up and support him even when he could no longer do simple things like drive or get coffee.
Finally, he called on his daughters to be resilient.
“Finally, fight with every ounce of your being and with dignity. When you face challenges, health or otherwise, fight,” he said.
He reminded them that although the illness affected his body, it could never touch his mind.
He described himself as having the “superpower” of always getting back up, joking that a friend once compared him to a cat with fifteen lives instead of nine.
He told the girls that even when life seems impossible, they must face it with honesty and grace.
Choking back tears, Dane concluded his message with a final profession of love.
“Billie and Georgia, you are my heart. You are everything to me. Good night. I love you. These are my last words.”
Following his death, Dane’s family confirmed that he was surrounded by his friends, his wife Rebecca Gayheart and his daughters, who they said were the absolute center of his world.
