Eric Dane's official cause of death has been confirmed as respiratory failure. This condition is believed to have been caused by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a common type of motor neurone disease (MND) , with which Eric was diagnosed last year . The actor died on Thursday February 19 aged 53 , surrounded by friends, his devoted wife, and his two daughters. Eric's death certificate, obtained today by PEOPLE , states the actor died of respiratory failure, which is a common result of ALS.