Eric Dane spoke directly to his two young daughters in the closing moments of his episode of Netflix’s ‘Famous Last Words,’ a series that captures extended interviews with public figures. The actor, who died Thursday at 53 after battling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, shared words of love, resilience and hard-won lessons just days before the episode dropped on the streaming service.

Dane’s sit-down, recorded in November with television writer Brad Falchuk, aired Friday. He went public with his ALS diagnosis 10 months earlier and passed away surrounded by wife Rebecca Gayheart and daughters Billie Beatrice Dane and Georgia Geraldine Dane.

Family anchored the conversation. Dane reminisced about trips to Santa Monica, Hawaii and Mexico, time spent by the ocean with his girls. He addressed them by name: “Billie and Georgia, these words are for you.” Then came the raw admission. He owned his imperfections as a father while celebrating their shared joy.

ALS reshaped his outlook, Dane explained. The disease stripped away his ability to drive, work out or meet friends on his own terms. It forced him to ditch self-pity. “The past contains regrets. The future remains unknown,” he said, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “So you have to live now. The present is all you have. Treasure it. Cherish every moment.”

He urged his daughters to chase a passion that lights them up. Acting did that for Dane, a discovery he made around their age. Fans know him as the suave Dr. Mark Sloan, McSteamy, on ‘Grey’s Anatomy,’ and as the troubled Cal Jacobs on ‘Euphoria.’ “My work doesn’t define me, but it excites me,” he said. That fire pulled him through dark times.

Friends proved vital as his health faded. They showed up unasked, filling the gaps his condition created. “Just show up,” Dane advised, crediting those bonds for steadying him.

Resilience topped his list. Dane called it a superpower. “Fight and face it with honesty, integrity and grace,” he told Billie and Georgia. “Fight, girls, and hold your heads high.”

Earlier, Dane opened up about shadows from his past. His father died by suicide when he was 7. That loss lingered, fueling depression and prescription drug addiction. He took a leave from ‘The Last Ship’ in 2017 for treatment, including a stay at a California center. Trauma work helped, he said, but the pain echoed through his life.

‘Famous Last Words’ draws from the Danish series ‘Det Sidste Ord.’ Dane’s episode is the second U.S. installment, after primatologist Jane Goodall. The format invites candid reflection on career peaks, personal valleys and what matters most. Dane delivered on all counts, his voice steady despite the encroaching illness.

Rebecca Gayheart, his wife since 2004, stood by him through it all. The couple’s public appearances grew rare as ALS advanced, but family photos from happier travels surfaced in tributes after his death. Hollywood mourned quickly. Co-stars from ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ and ‘Euphoria’ shared memories online, praising his warmth and talent.

Dane’s final words cut deep in their simplicity. No grand speeches. Just a dad’s honest reckoning, laced with humor and hope. Viewers streamed the episode heavily Friday, pushing it up Netflix charts. For Billie and Georgia, now facing life without him, the message endures as both comfort and charge.