Kate Walsh has defended a fundraiser set up to help support Eric Dane's two daughters.
The actor, perhaps best known for playing Dr. Mark Sloan on medical drama Grey's Anatomy, died at the age of 53 last week. Dane was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in April 2025.
Following the sad news, friends organised a GoFundMe page, with the funds designated for the Euphoria star's teenage daughters, whom he shared with actress Rebecca Gayheart.
And while some online critics questioned whether the account was necessary due to Dane's success in Hollywood, former Grey's Anatomy actress Walsh took to her Instagram Stories on Monday to explain why the money would be appreciated.
"A lot of people (I know in a time when we ask so much of everyone to help with all the things) are under the misconception that actors are rich, but when they go thru these debilitating illnesses they go thru their funds (sic)," she wrote.
Walsh added a link to the GoFundMe page and added: "Thank you for even considering to help."
So far, around 4,000 people have donated to the account, with over $423,000 (£313,000) raised.
Celebrities who have contributed include Hailey Bieber, producer Brad Falchuck, and Euphoria creator Sam Levinson.
After Dane's passing, Walsh posted a heartfelt tribute to Instagram in which she recalled how the actor was a "source of support and love" in the early days of shooting Grey's Anatomy.
"One of the things I loved about Eric was his sensitivity and vulnerability, (and intelligence, of course) but he had the gravitas & old soul that made his work magnetic and made him a great friend off set," the 58-year-old posted. "In those early days of Grey's, as with most network tv shows, we spent more time with each other than with anyone else and so we became a family of sorts."
Dane and Gayheart married in 2004 and shared daughters Billie, 15, and Georgia, 14.
The former Beverly Hills, 90210 actress filed for divorce in 2018, but in March 2025, she requested a dismissal of the petition amid the Charmed star's illness.
