_updates.jpg)
Eric Dane’s former Grey’s Anatomy co-stars have broken their silence following his death at age 53.
The Euphoria star’s death occurred on the 20th anniversary of his debut appearance on the ABC show as his first episode aired on February 19, 2006.
He had worked alongside stars including Ellen Pompeo, Patrick Dempsey, Kate Walsh, Kevin McKidd, Sarah Drew, Sandra Oh and Katherine Heigl.
McKidd took to his Instagram account on Thursday to pay the heartfelt tribute to his castmate, whose death was confirmed by his loved ones, nearly one year after he announced his amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) diagnosis.
In a shared story, he reposted an image of Dane as Dr. Mark Sloan while adding the text, “Rest in Peace Buddy.”
Joining the tributes, Sarah Drew, who portrayed Dr. April Kepner on Grey’s Anatomy, shared the same image and wrote, “Rest in peace,” punctuated with crying emojis.
20th Television, which includes ABC also shared a statement to Deadline following the news of Dane's passing.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of Eric Dane,” it read.
The statement added, “His remarkable talent and unforgettable presence on Grey's Anatomy left a lasting impact on audiences around the world, and his courage and grace during his battle with ALS inspired so many.”
It concluded, “Our hearts are with his family, friends, and colleagues, as well as the many fans whose lives were touched by his work.”
The outlet revealed that a special tribute to Eric Dane will air in next week’s episode of Grey’s Anatomy on February 26.
Dane became a part of the show in 2006 as Dr. Sloan and exited in season nine after his character died in a plane crash.
To note, Eric Dane was died less than one year after he announced his amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) diagnosis.
