Overview
- Dane disclosed his ALS diagnosis in April 2025 after symptoms such as right‑hand weakness surfaced about a year earlier.
- Gayheart says an insurer twice denied full‑time nursing before approval on appeal, with care now organized into 21 weekly shifts.
- She covers uncovered nursing hours herself and sometimes relies on friends for help while the family maintains separate households nearby.
- The parents told their teen daughters about the diagnosis roughly a week after it was confirmed and arranged targeted therapy with access to Dane’s doctor.
- Dane has taken on ALS‑focused public work, including an appearance on NBC’s Brilliant Minds and a memoir slated for 2026 from Maria Shriver’s imprint.