Grey's Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes broke her silence after actor Eric Dane's death at age 53. "Eric Dane was a beloved member of the Shondaland and Grey's Anatomy families," Rhimes, 56, said in a statement on Friday, February 19. "He was truly a gifted actor whose portrayal of Dr. Mark Sloan left an indelible mark on the series and on audiences around the world." She continued: "We are grateful for the artistry, spirit, friendship and humanity he shared with us for so many years. Our hearts are with his family, loved ones, and all who were touched by his work." News broke on Thursday, February 19, that Dane died after a battle with ALS, which is a nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord and has no cure. Dane's death also marked 20 years since he made his debut on ABC's Grey's Anatomy. 'Grey's Anatomy' Cast Reacts to Eric Dane's Death at Age 53 The medical drama premiered in 2005 with viewers tuning in to see the personal and professional lives of surgical interns, residents and attendings at the fictional Seattle Grace Hospital - later renamed to Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. Ron Tom / (C)ABC / courtesy Everett Collection Dane joined during season 2 in an episode titled "Yesterday," which followed Mark Sloan a.k.a McSteamy's arrival at Seattle Grace that forced Derek and Addison to confront their past. Despite only being in one episode that season, Dane's screen time was increased and he remained on the show until 2012. After his character was killed off, Dane later reflected on how his personal struggles played a role in his exit. "I think I was let go," Dane said on an episode of the "Armchair Expert" podcast in 2024 about how he was dealing with addiction issues at the time. Dane clarified that the show's producers "didn't" let him go specifically because of that. Photo by Mark Mainz/Getty Images) "Although it definitely didn't help. I was starting to become - as most of these actors who have spent significant time on a show, you start to become very expensive for the network," he explained about his experience before entering a treatment center in 2011. "And the network knows that the show is going to do what it's going to do irrespective of who they keep on it. As long as they have their Grey, they're fine." Jamie-Lynn Sigler and More Stars Whose Health Issues Became TV Storylines He added: "I wasn't the same guy they had hired. So I understood when I was let go. And [executive producer] Shonda [Rhimes] was really great. She protected us fiercely. She protected us publicly. She protected us privately. ... But I was probably fired. It wasn't ceremoniously like, 'You're fired,' it was just like, 'You're not coming back.'" At the time, Dane recalled how his sobriety took a hit due to the instant fame from being on a hit network show. "If you take the whole eight years on Grey's Anatomy, I was f***ed up longer than I was sober. And that's when things started going sideways for me," he admitted. "It was overwhelming, and I think I just wanted to pretend that it wasn't and that I was comfortable with it. Act like you've been there, but you haven't been there."