Janell Shirtcliff Shares Intimate Tribute to Eric Dane — What Fans and Family Are Facing Next

For fans and those close to Eric Dane, janell shirtcliff’s public posts have turned private memory into a shared moment of mourning and context. Her Instagram Stories gave a snapshot of their relationship and the small domestic scenes now being revisited as the actor’s family navigates his death; that ripple matters first to his children, close friends, and anyone following his recent activism around ALS.

Janell Shirtcliff’s posts and why they resonate for fans and family

Janell Shirtcliff posted a series of Instagram Story images that painted a candid portrait of her time with Eric Dane. The material includes a black-and-white photo of Dane smiling while getting a tattoo on his left arm; a photograph of him in a white T-shirt and a tan cowboy hat standing with a horse; affectionate moments such as a kiss on the side of her head and a selfie of him leaning toward her shoulder; and a clip showing one of her children directing Dane for an impromptu photo shoot with lines like "I want you to look over there at mom" and a prompt to "smile. " These posts came days after Dane’s death, transforming intimate snapshots into public artifacts that are now part of how fans and family remember him.

Event details: the timeline of posts, diagnosis and death

Eric Dane died following a battle with ALS. The context records that he died on Feb. 19 at age 53 and that Janell’s Instagram Story posts were shared on Feb. 21. Dane had shared an ALS diagnosis in April 2025. The couple reportedly debuted their romance in June, two months after he disclosed the diagnosis, and they attended the Los Angeles premiere of his Prime Video crime drama Countdown together, arriving hand-in-hand.

• April 2025 — Dane shared an ALS diagnosis.
• June (year unclear in the provided context) — Dane and Janell seemingly debuted their romance, two months after his diagnosis.
• Feb. 19 — Dane died at age 53 following a battle with ALS.
• Feb. 21 — Janell Shirtcliff posted multiple Instagram Stories showing candid moments with Dane.

Here’s the part that matters for readers following the story: those dates frame how quickly private relationship moments became public remembrances, and they set expectations for how the family and fans may process tributes and fundraising activity in the coming weeks.

Family responses, public tributes and fundraising details

Several public responses have been noted. Kimberly Van Der Beek posted "RIP Eric Dane. We love you" to her Instagram Stories on Saturday, resharing a photo of her and James Van Der Beek with Dane and his wife Rebecca Gayheart at a red carpet event and adding, "We will miss our guys laughing at Christmas parties together. " Rebecca Gayheart reposted Kimberly’s story to her own account and wrote, "So much love for you. "

The family issued a statement saying that Eric Dane "passed on Thursday afternoon following a courageous battle with ALS, " and that 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 statement also noted that throughout his journey with ALS, Dane became a passionate advocate for awareness and research, that he adored his fans, and that the family has asked for privacy as they navigate this time.

Donations and public support have been part of the surrounding response: the context lists a $25, 000 donation from Steven Spielberg and his wife, Kate Capshaw, and a recurring monthly payment of $2, 500 from actress Zoe Saldaña.

Background, relationships and earlier health disclosures

Despite appearing to court Janell, Dane remained legally married to estranged wife Rebecca Gayheart. The context says the couple separated in 2017. They share daughters Billie, listed as 15, and Georgia, listed as 14. Earlier in his public life, Dane had announced a cancer diagnosis in 2024. The provided material also recounts that Dane once left the TNT drama The Last Ship because of a battle with depression and that Gayheart had shown public support at that time.

The context reconstructs parts of Dane and Gayheart’s relationship history: they were married less than one year after they began dating, exchanging vows in Las Vegas; an anecdote in the material recalls a short courtship that moved quickly into marriage. When Gayheart filed for divorce, she cited "irreconcilable differences" and sought spousal support and joint legal and physical custody of their daughters.

It’s easy to overlook, but this mix of recent health disclosures, public tributes, and legal status helps explain why the family statement emphasized both his advocacy work and the request for privacy.

Short takeaways and near-term signals

• Personal posts by Janell Shirtcliff have become focal points for fans and family remembrance.
• The family framed Dane’s final period as one marked by advocacy for ALS research and by private support from close friends and family.
• Visible public responses include Kimberly Van Der Beek’s Instagram tribute and Rebecca Gayheart’s repost; reported donations have also appeared in the public record.

The real question now is how the family will balance privacy with public memorials and whether fundraising or awareness efforts tied to his advocacy will expand in the weeks ahead.

Representatives were contacted for comment at the time of earlier reports but did not respond; details may continue to evolve as family and friends make decisions about public remembrances.