Eric Dane, who shot to stardom by appearing in shows Euphoria and Grey’s Anatomy, has passed away at the age of 53.

His death comes less than a year after he went public with the fact that he had been diagnosed with a motor neurone disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Revealing the tragic news, Dane’s representatives broke the news via a statement that read: “He spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife [actor Rebecca Gayheart] and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the center of his world.”

It continued, “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,” the statement concluded.

ALS is the most common form of motor neurone disease, that causes people to lose the use of their limbs and ability to speak, swallow and eventually breathe independently, which can be fatal.

There is no cure; those with motor neurone disease die, on average, 27 months after diagnosis, but some patients can live decades – like Stephen Hawking, who was diagnosed with a slow-progressing form of the same disease at the age of 21 and lived to 76.

Dane is renowned for his role as Dr. Mark Sloan in Grey’s Anatomy and was a regular for six seasons of the show.

Most recently, he appeared in the HBO drama, Euphoria, as Cal Jacobs, the father of Jacob Elordi’s character, Nate Jacobs.

Dane will appear in the upcoming third season of Euphoria, having filmed it in a wheelchair due to his health.

“I feel fortunate that I am able to continue working and am looking forward to returning to set of Euphoria next week,” he told PEOPLE magazine in April after announcing his diagnosis. “I kindly ask that you give my family and I privacy during this time.”

Euphoria creator Sam Levinson paid tribute to Eric Dane on Thursday, telling Variety: “I’m heartbroken by the loss of our dear friend Eric. Working with him was an honor. Being his friend was a gift. Eric’s family is in our prayers. May his memory be for a blessing.”