GoFundMe for actor Eric Dane’s family raises nearly $350,000 after his death | US news

A GoFundMe campaign meant to provide financial support for the widow and daughters of Eric Dane after the actor’s recent death had raised nearly $350,000 as of Monday.

The fundraising platform over the weekend had temporarily paused the “In Honor of Eric Dane” campaign while it underwent a standard review. But by Monday, GoFundMe said it had verified the effort and listed the Grey’s Anatomy star’s family as the beneficiary.

How increasingly common fundraisers like the one benefiting Dane’s wife – fellow actor Rebecca Gayheart – as well as their teenage daughters, Billie and Georgia, are becoming has generated significant discussion within the US.

The US healthcare system has long faced criticism – and many Americans believe it is in crisis – because it is dominated by private insurance giants, resulting in high costs that patients and their families struggle to manage even with lucrative careers.

Notably, before his death from cancer at age 48 on 10 February, actor James Van Der Beek had been open about his and his family’s struggle to cope with the high expenses of the oncological treatment he had undergone. A GoFundMe established to support his widow and children then raised more than $1m within hours of its launch, drawing in support from Hollywood figures such as Zoe Saldaña and Steven Spielberg.

The Euphoria creator Sam Levinson was among about 3,500 donors to the Dane family’s GoFundMe as of Monday, contributing $27,000 to the campaign.

Viewers of Euphoria saw Dane, who died aged 53, on the show’s first two seasons before he died on Thursday from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, the degenerative neuromuscular disease known as ALS. He is appearing in its third season, having filmed it in a wheelchair because of his health.

Dane died less than a year after he publicly revealed he had been diagnosed with ALS, which often culminates in paralysis.

A message on the GoFundMe aiding Dane’s family noted how the actor dedicated the end of his life to pushing for greater awareness surrounding ALS. His illness “progressed far more quickly than anyone could have imagined”, said the campaign, which was organized by a group calling itself “Friends of the Dane Family.”

The campaign said their goal was to “provide stability during this incredibly difficult time and in the future for Eric’s wonderful daughters”, whom the organizers described as “the center of his world”.

Dane dedicated a portion of his interview on the Netflix show Famous Last Words to addressing his daughters. Released posthumously, he said he hoped Billie and Georgia remembered how he was present in their lives, going to beach volleyball games, dance recitals and repeated viewings of The Nutcracker – which he confessed “drones on, man”.

He also said he wishes for his girls to “fall in love” – whether it be with a person or a pursuit that made them want to wake up daily.

“I hope you won’t just listen to me,” Dane remarked to his daughters. “I hope you’ll hear me.”

The Associated Press contributed reporting