02/20/2026
First and foremost, my deepest sympathies go out to Eric Dane’s family.
Unfortunately, I have seen and heard about the devastatingly difficult ALS journey. It is the one disease I fear more than Alzheimer’s because one of my biggest fears is being trapped inside my body and not being able to communicate, not being to hug my grandchildren, or eat one of Tony’s home run dinners. All while knowing that my body is shutting down and hoping the end comes quickly for me and for my loved ones.
As I say all the time, I wish I had a crystal ball, but I don’t. So I don’t know if ALS, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, cancer, a sinking of a cruise ship or just going to bed and not waking up is how my journey will end. The one thing I do know is I will have a detailed written long-term care plan and end-of-life plan that will be revisited as my situation changes, shared with my family and others in my life, and it will give those I’ve trusted to carry out my wishes a guide to follow with a team to support me and my loved ones. No one will have to wonder what would Bridget want in this situation? Am I doing the right thing? Am I doing enough? How are we going to pay for her care?
Death is scary, it’s hard and we’ve been taught not to talk about it unless we have to. Most people don’t want to think about it, let alone talk about it, out loud. The reality is everyone’s story ends in death. It doesn’t have to scary and it’s have to bad. I’ve learned over the last couple of years.
The question ito ask yourself is do you want to have the hard conversations now, or do you want to leave it up to those you love the most to figure it out later when you are already in crisis? Do you want to write the last chapters of your story or leave your story unfinished, messy, and more difficult than it needs to be for those who matter most?
It won’t be easy for me to put this plan together for my loved ones. But I know that once it is in writing, i will have the peace of mind knowing my wishes will be clear, the right team will be in place, and that I have done what I could to preserve my legacy and protect the ones who matter most in my life.
I plan to share my journey here in hopes that it inspires others to give this gift to themselves and their loved ones so stay tuned to hear more and learn more!
Actor Eric Dane, who played Dr. Mark Sloan on “Grey’s Anatomy” and who also appeared in the HBO show “Euphoria,” died Thursday at 53, his representative said.
In April, the actor publicly disclosed that he had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ALS and Lou Gehrig’s Disease. It's a fatal disease that affects the nervous system.
"With heavy hearts, we share that Eric Dane passed on Thursday afternoon following a courageous battle with ALS," a representative for the actor said.
"He spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife, and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the center of his world," the rep said.
Read more: nbcnews.app.link/rEzJzxXWT0b
