Eric Dane Cancels Event Appearance Because of ‘Physical Realities’ of ALS

Eric Dane, 53, was unable to attend the ALS Network’s Champions for Cures and Care Gala on Saturday where he was a top honoree.

Ahead of the vent, the organization told The Hollywood Reporter in a statement, “The ALS Network has been informed that Eric Dane had hoped to join us this evening to accept his Advocate of the Year Award, but due to the physical realities of ALS, he is not well enough to attend."

The statement continued, "We remain deeply grateful for his courage, advocacy, and continued commitment to the ALS community, and we honor him fully this evening with our profound respect and support. Aaron Lazar, Broadway star and Grammy Award nominee, will accept the award on his behalf.”

Eric first shared his ALS diagnosis in April. ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease. It is an incurable, degenerative disease that progressively paralyzes a patient's muscles.

At the time, he shared with Diane Sawyer on “Good Morning America," “My left side is functioning, my right side has completely stopped working,” adding, “I feel like maybe a couple more months and I won’t have my left hand either. It’s sobering.”

In December, Dane participated in a virtual panel for Giving Tuesday with I AM ALS and Synapticure co-founders Brian Wallach and Sandra Abrevaya, as well as “Brilliant Minds” show runner Michael Grassi and writer and consulting producer Dr. Daniela Lamas, M.D.

On “Brilliant Minds,” Dane played a firefighter with ALS, who struggles to tell his loved ones about his diagnosis.

According to People magazine, Dane opened up about keeping his spirits up despite facing such a “horrible” disease.

"I have no reason to be in a good spirit at any time, on any given day, I don't think anybody would blame me if I went upstairs in my bedroom, crawled under the sheets, and spent the next two weeks crying," he said. "And I was a little bit pleasantly surprised when I realized that I wasn't built like that, because I thought for sure that was gonna be me.”

He was encouraged to know that he could have a “buoyant spirit in the face of something so horrible.”

Eric also insisted "it's imperative that I share my journey with as many people as I can because I don't feel like my life is about me anymore.”