At the end of its February 26, 2026 episode, Grey’s Anatomy paid tribute to the late Eric Dane with a moving 60-65 second video montage. The tribute included famous scenes from Dane’s role as Dr. Mark “McSteamy” Sloan, set to Tommee Profitt and Fleurie’s haunting cover of “Chasing Cars.”
It showed things like Sloan’s scandalous hotel affair, elevator problems, his relationship with Lexie Grey, being a father to Callie Torres, and a dream sequence that told Meredith Grey to “don’t waste one single minute.” The segment ended with a dedication that said, “In loving memory of Eric Dane (1973–2026).”
From 2006 to 2012, Eric Dane played the charming plastic surgeon Mark Sloan for seven seasons. Fans called him “McSteamy” because of his looks and the bold storylines he was in. His character’s story ended tragically in a plane crash in Season 9, but Dane came back for a short time in Season 17 dream sequences during the pandemic storyline.
The episode aired exactly 20 years after Dane’s first appearance, which made the tribute even more powerful after his death on February 19, 2026, at the age of 53 after a public battle with ALS.
In an Instagram post, Shonda Rhimes, the creator of Grey’s Anatomy, called Dane a “beloved member of the Shondaland and Grey’s Anatomy families.” Krista Vernoff, the show’s creator, and co-stars like Sara Ramirez shared fond memories of his hugs and art.
Fans and celebrities, like Sydney Sweeney, filled social media with love, saying how much Dane changed TV for the better. The montage was quickly posted on Grey’s official Instagram account, where it got a lot of praise.
