Janell Shirtcliff: janell shirtcliff Shares Tribute After Eric Dane’s Death
janell shirtcliff posted photographs and brief video clips offering a private look at her relationship with Eric Dane days after his death. Dane died on Thursday, Feb. 19, at age 53 following a battle with ALS.
Janell Shirtcliff's Instagram Tribute
In a series of Instagram Story posts on Feb. 21, Janell Shirtcliff highlighted candid moments with Eric Dane. The posts included a black-and-white snap of Dane smiling while getting a tattoo on his left arm and a shot of him posing in a white T-shirt and tan cowboy hat alongside a horse. She also shared intimate moments, including one where he planted a kiss on the side of her head as they posed on a set of stairs and a selfie of him leaning down toward her shoulder.
Photos and candid moments shared
Janell, identified as a photographer who has captured portraits of Post Malone, Jenna Ortega and Dua Lipa, posted a series of images and clips that also showed Eric’s bond with one of her children. In a clip, the youngster held up a camera and directed Dane, saying, “I want you to look over there at mom, ” then ordered him to “smile. ”
How the relationship unfolded
Eric Dane and Janell seemingly debuted their romance in June, two months after he shared his ALS diagnosis. The pair arrived together at the Los Angeles premiere of his Prime Video crime drama Countdown, sharing a laugh and walking hand-in-hand down the red carpet. Reps were contacted at the time for comment on the relationship but did not respond.
Family statement and final days
Dane had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, in 2025 and publicly shared the diagnosis in April 2025. His family issued a statement that read: “With heavy hearts, we share that Eric Dane passed on Thursday afternoon following a courageous battle with ALS. 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 family statement continued: “Throughout his journey with ALS, Eric became a passionate advocate for awareness and research, determined to make a difference for others facing the same fight. He will be deeply missed, and lovingly remembered always. Eric adored his fans and is forever grateful for the outpouring of love and support he’s received. The family has asked for privacy as they navigate this impossible time. ”
Reactions from friends and peers
Kimberly Van Der Beek took to social media to pay homage to Eric Dane, posting “RIP Eric Dane. We love you, ” to her Instagram stories on Saturday. Her post was a reshared photo of her and James Van Der Beek with Dane and his wife Rebecca Gayheart at a red carpet event. Kimberly added, “We will miss our guys laughing at Christmas parties together. ” Gayheart responded by posting Kimberly’s story to her own and writing, “So much love for you. ”
Donations tied to support for Dane included $25, 000 from Steven Spielberg and his wife, Kate Capshaw, and a recurring monthly payment of $2, 500 from Zoe Saldaña.
Marriage, past interviews and legal status
Despite an apparent courtship with Janell, Dane remained legally married to estranged wife Rebecca Gayheart. The couple had separated in 2017 and shared daughters Billie, 15, and Georgia, 14. When Gayheart filed for divorce, she cited “irreconcilable differences” as the cause and sought spousal support and joint legal and physical custody of Billie and Georgia.
In his final interview for the Feb. 20 episode of Famous Last Words, Dane told Brad Falchuck: “I will never, by the time anybody sees this, would have ever fallen in love with another woman as deeply as I fell in love with Rebecca. She’s the mother of my children, and the whole weight of thinking about it was so organic and fortuitous. ”
On the couple’s early story, Dane admitted they never revealed how they first connected, calling it “probably one of the least interesting stories in the world. ” He recalled: “It went basically like this: ‘You wanna go out?’ ‘Yeah, sure. ’ Ten months later, we were married. ” Less than one year after they began dating, the couple exchanged vows in Las Vegas. After Dane announced he was leaving the TNT drama The Last Ship due to his battle with depression, Gayheart posted a throwback caption reading, “Way back when I met my Monday man crush. ”
Additional mentions and other coverage
A separate item carried the title “Just a moment... ” and other published pieces included the headline “James Van Der Beek’s Wife Pays Homage to Eric Dane: ‘We Love You’. ” One passage in other coverage noted, “The actor publicly shared his cancer diagnosis in 2024, ” and another line stated, “The actor, who has died at age 48, will forever be remembered as Dawson Leery. ” These lines appear alongside the wider reaction to Dane’s death and the messages from friends and family.
Eric Dane is known for his breakout role as Dr. Mark “McSteamy” Sloan on Grey’s Anatomy and for playing Cal Jacobs on Euphoria. After his diagnosis, he advocated for more ALS research.
Closing: Janell Shirtcliff’s posts on Feb. 21 offered a personal record of moments with Eric Dane, while friends, family and donors responded in the days after his passing on Thursday, Feb. 19, at age 53.
