Eric Dane grew emotional as he reflected on living with ALS and the example he hoped to set for his daughters in unreleased footage filmed months before his death.

The Grey’s Anatomy star best known for playing Dr. Mark Sloan — a.k.a. McSteamy — fought back tears from an upcoming, untitled documentary short produced by filmmaker Chris Burke and the nonprofit I AM ALS.

The footage features a clip from a sit-down interview captured in Los Angeles, Calif., in Sept. 2025, along with scenes from Dane’s Oct. 2025 visit to Capitol Hill, where he advocated with the organization for its PUSH FOR PROGRESS initiative.

“This is all new to me,” Dane said in the interview. “This is uncharted territory. I’m learning as I go. I’m just trying to walk through this thing with as much grace and dignity as I can, so I can show my kids, ‘This is how you do this.’ “

The late actor first became a dad in March 2010 when he welcomed his first child, daughter Billie Beatrice Dane, with his ex, Rebecca Gayheart, 54. Their family expanded in December 2011 with the birth of their second daughter, Georgia Geraldine Dane.

The Euphoria actor also spoke candidly about how his diagnosis affected those closest to him.

“It’s a tough thing to respond to. It is a tough thing to live with, yeah, but it’s really hard for the people around me, too,” he says. “And it’s almost like, in a weird way, it’s of some benefit, because I spend a lot of my time consoling others.”

“There’s a grieving process, and I think it’s important to experience it and let yourself experience it,” he said. “But it’s also important not to indulge in it, because at the end of the day, you just got to keep moving forward.”

The actor also shared a moment of humor about filming HBO’s Euphoria after his speech had begun to change.

“I had a wedding sequence I had to shoot, the reception,” he said. “And it’s written that I’m wasted, sloshed drunk for this entire reception. And I was like, ‘People are gonna think I’m brilliant because I already sound like I’m drunk. I don’t need to act.’ “

In April 2025, Dane revealed to PEOPLE exclusively that he had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease and was “grateful to have my loving family by my side as we navigate this next chapter.” ALS is a rare degenerative disease that causes progressive paralysis of the muscles.

Dane died Thursday, Feb. 19, his family confirmed in a statement to PEOPLE.

“With heavy hearts, we share that Eric Dane passed on Thursday afternoon following a courageous battle with ALS,” read the statement. “He spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife, and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the center of his world. Throughout his journey with ALS, Eric became a passionate advocate for awareness and research, determined to make a difference for others facing the same fight. He will be deeply missed, and lovingly remembered always. Eric adored his fans and is forever grateful for the outpouring of love and support he’s received. The family has asked for privacy as they navigate this impossible time.”