Eric Dane vows to 'fight to the last breath' in ongoing ALS battle

Eric Dane promised to "fight to the last breath" in his battle with ALS while talking with lawmakers in Washington, D.C. last week. 

"ALS is the last thing they want to diagnose anybody with. So often, it takes all this time for these people to be diagnosed, well, then it precludes them from being a part of these clinical trials," the 52-year-old told Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., in a video the lawmaker posted to TikTok. 

The "Euphoria" star was at the Capitol to advocate for Congress reauthorizing the ACT for ALS law, which expands access to treatments and is set to expire next year, according to WJAR-TV. 

‘GREY’S ANATOMY' ALUM ERIC DANE PREPARED TO GO TO EXTREME MEASURES TO FIGHT ALS

"I have two daughters at home," he added. "I want to see them, you know, graduate college, and get married and maybe have grandkids, you know? I want to be there for all that. So, I’m going to fight to the last breath on this one."

The "Euphoria" star and wife Rebecca Gayheart share two daughters: Billie, 15, and Georgia, 13. 

Dane was also seen in a wheelchair leaving a D.C. airport last week.

When asked by a photographer if he had a message for his fans, Dane said, "Keep the faith." 

Dane announced his ALS diagnosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, in April. 

ERIC DANE WAS HOSPITALIZED AFTER ALS-RELATED FALL FORCED EMMY AWARDS ABSENCE

ALS is a "nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord," according to the Mayo Clinic. 

It causes loss of muscle control as well as breathing and eating problems and can cause dementia. 

WATCH: ERIC DANE CELEBRATES THE WINS FOLLOWING ALS DIAGNOSIS 

When he announced his diagnosis, Dane said, "I have been diagnosed with ALS. I am grateful to have my loving family by my side as we navigate this next chapter. I feel fortunate that I am able to continue working and am looking forward to returning to set of ‘Euphoria’ next week. I kindly ask that you give my family and I privacy during this time."

Since then, he has opened up more about his condition, telling Diane Sawyer, "I don’t think this is the end of my story. I don’t feel like this is the end of me." 

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He revealed in the interview that his daughter saved him when he was swimming in the ocean following his diagnosis and realized he could no longer stay afloat in the water. 

"When I jumped in the ocean that day and realized I couldn't swim [or] generate enough power to get myself back to the boat, I thought, 'Oh, God.’ And then I realized in that moment I'm not safe in the water anymore," he said.

He elaborated: "I have one functioning arm. My dominant side. My left side is functioning, my right side has completely stopped working. I feel like maybe a couple, few more months, and I won't have my left hand either. It's sobering."

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He also told Sawyer he was willing to go to extreme measures to treat his disease. 

"I will fly to Germany and eat the head off a rattlesnake if [doctors] told me that that would help," he said. "I'll assume the risk."

Gayheart told People last month that their family is taking his diagnosis "day by day."

"We have some professional therapists who are helping us, and we're just trying to have some hope and do it with dignity, grace and love," she continued.

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"I mean, it's heartbreaking," she added. "My girls are really suffering, and we're just trying to get through it. It's a tough time."

Lionel Richie reveals he almost became a priest before one fan's comment changed his life

Lionel Richie revealed that he almost joined the Episcopal priesthood before one encouraging shoutout from an audience member convinced him to pursue a musical career. 

In his new memoir "Truly," the 76-year-old music icon recalled growing up, he was a "disastrously shy altar boy" who considered becoming a member of the clergy and was training for the priesthood.

During a Friday appearance on "Today with Jenna & Friends" to promote his tell-all, Richie recalled the pivotal moment, while performing with his college band, The Commodores, that inspired him to commit to music. 

SINGER LIONEL RICHIE ATTRIBUTES FAMILY, GOD TO HIS GENERATIONAL STAYING POWER

"I couldn’t figure out what the heck to do with my life, couldn’t figure it out," the four-time Grammy Award winner said. "I’m as shy as I can be. And then I realized, maybe the priesthood might be the best way to go."

"Here’s what happened to change my mind," Richie continued. "I joined the Commodores in my second semester of my sophomore year and something amazing happened. A lady on the front row of some club said, ‘Sing it, baby!’"

Richie said that the audience member's comment prompted him to contact church leadership and abandon his training for the priesthood.

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"I called back to the priest and I said, ‘I don’t think I’m going to be college material. I just gotta be honest with you,’" the "All Night Long" hitmaker said. "There’s a moment when you have that moment."

"All of a sudden, I got an acknowledgment from the other side," Richie continued. "From that point on, I kept thinking, now how does this go forward? I didn't know I was a writer, didn't know I was a singer. Thank God for The Commodores because I would have never discovered Lionel Richie."

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Richie admitted that he continued to struggle with his shyness while he was performing with The Commodores. 

"Scared to death, can you imagine having panic attacks on stage?" the "American Idol" judge said. "But I wanted to be in this band so badly, and I wanted to be in this business." 

In "Truly," Richie recalled telling the priests at his church that he had second thoughts about his vocation for the priesthood.  

"They gave me wise words of encouragement and told me that if things changed the door was always open," Richie wrote. "In fact, in the coming years, whenever I worried that the music thing was to be short-lived, I’d talk about returning to my earlier plans." 

He continued, "I even picked out a seminary in Wyoming. Never went. The moment of truth probably arrived when I began to write songs—and realized they were my real sermons.

"Truly" will be released nationwide on Oct. 15, 2025, through HarperCollins.

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