Rebecca Gayheart, widow of late Grey’s Anatomy star Eric Dane, shared a touching story about her husband’s final weeks before his death last month at 53. Dane, who battled amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), had been working with AI company ElevenLabs to restore his voice, allowing him to communicate even as the disease took away his ability to speak.
Gayheart, 54, told Variety that Dane was deeply invested in the project—not only for daily communication, but to leave a lasting message for their daughters, 16-year-old Billie and 14-year-old Georgia. The technology created a computerized version of his voice using previous recordings, enabling him to hear himself speak once again.
“We played it, and Eric became visibly emotional. When I heard it, I cried. I think everyone in the room did,” Gayheart recalled. The recreated voice was later shared with their daughters, who recognized it as their father’s. “They were like, ‘That’s not a recording. That’s your voice. That’s you. So it was spot on.’”
While Dane was unable to fully use the technology before his passing, Gayheart said he would have wanted others to benefit from it. ElevenLabs plans to assist up to a million people with terminal neurological conditions, offering lifetime software licenses and support to restore their ability to speak.
Gayheart praised Dane’s understanding of the emotional significance of one’s voice: “As his speech started to decrease, his ability to speak went away. He wasn’t able to express things in his own very special way. He really understood how meaningful it was to give someone back their voice.”
Continuing Dane’s advocacy, Gayheart will participate in a panel for the ElevenLabs documentary series 11 Voices at SXSW in Austin, Texas, highlighting people who have used the AI technology.
Amid this personal tragedy, Gayheart also celebrated her daughter Billie’s Sweet 16, sharing a series of childhood photos, including images of Dane. She expressed gratitude for the support of friends and the entertainment community during this difficult time, emphasizing the lasting impact of Dane’s work and legacy.#newsafro_
