by Ellen DurneyBuzzFeedBuzzFeed StaffHi, I'm Ellen! In February, Eric Dane tragically died at 53 years old, less than a year after he shared his amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) diagnosis with the world. Gilbert Flores / Getty Images ALS, sometimes referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease or motor neurone disease, impacts nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, leading to progressive paralysis of the muscles. ALS causes patients to gradually lose the ability to walk, speak, eat, and breathe independently, while their cognitive abilities remain intact.