For years, his face was synonymous with charm on American television. Eric Dane, the actor who brought to life the unforgettable Dr. McSteamy on Grey’s Anatomy, has gone public with a diagnosis that offers no cure—but many questions. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, has transformed his life. But Dane is not giving up.

"I don’t think this is the end of my story," the actor said in an interview aired Monday on ABC News’ Good Morning America.

In April, Dane revealed that he had been diagnosed with ALS after a long stretch of medical consultations. It all began with a slight weakness in his right hand, something he initially attributed to fatigue. “I thought maybe I’d been texting too much or my hand was fatigued,” he recalled. But as the weeks went by, the deterioration became clear. What followed was a journey through multiple specialists, until nine months later, he received the diagnosis that would change his life.

ALS is a neurodegenerative disease that progressively destroys motor neurons. It affects a person’s ability to move, speak, swallow, and eventually breathe. “I’ll never forget those three letters,” he said. “It’s on me the second I wake up. It’s not a dream.”

At 52, Dane spoke with honesty and vulnerability. He shared that only one of his arms is still functional, and he fears that the other will soon lose mobility as well. “I feel like maybe a couple more months and I won’t have my left hand either.” Though he is still able to walk, he worries constantly about losing strength in his legs. Alongside the fear, there is anger. “I’m angry because my father was taken from me when I was young, and now there’s a very good chance I’m going to be taken from my girls while they’re very young.”

His personal history gives that fear an added emotional weight. Dane’s father died by suicide when he was only seven years old. Now, as the father of two teenage daughters, he faces the painful possibility that history might repeat itself in a different form.

In the interview, Dane recounted a heartbreaking moment during a boat trip with his youngest daughter. Once a competitive swimmer and water polo player, he jumped into the ocean—only to realize he could no longer generate enough strength to return to the boat. “I jumped into the ocean that day and realized I couldn’t swim and generate enough power to get myself back to the boat. I thought, ‘Oh god.’” It was his daughter who rescued him.

The experience shattered him. But even in that moment of anguish, he made sure his daughter wouldn’t carry that memory with her. “I made sure she got back in the water with her friend and continued on with the snorkeling. But I was just heartbroken.”

In the midst of this struggle, Dane has found comfort in someone important: Rebecca Gayheart, his former partner and the mother of his daughters. Though they were once separated, they now maintain a close and supportive relationship. “We have managed to become better friends and better parents. She is my biggest champion and most stalwart supporter.”

News of his diagnosis was first shared in an interview with People and later covered by The New York Times, which highlighted not only his career but also his resolve to keep going. Despite his physical decline, Dane plans to return to the set of Euphoria, where he plays Cal Jacobs. He also has a new series on the way: Countdown.

His response to the disease defies the stereotypes often associated with ALS. Rather than retreating, he chose to be visible. Rather than stopping, he plans to move forward. “There’s so much about it that’s out of my control... All I want to do is spend time with my family, work a little if I can, and make sure that I tell them that I love them every day.”

Stories like his put a human face on a disease that, according to Good Morning America, affects around 5,000 people each year in the United States. And while the famous Ice Bucket Challenge raised $200 million a decade ago, the path to a cure remains long.

Amid it all, Dane holds onto something that transcends his acting career: “I don’t feel like this is the end of me.”