Patrick Dempsey shares how he supports ALS stricken pal Eric Dane

Patrick Dempsey is there for his former Grey's Anatomy costar Eric Dane as he battles ALS.

Seven years after they made Grey’s fans swoon, the duo are still in touch. Patrick, who’s promoitng his upcoming crime thriller series Memory of a Killer, told Parade that he "spoke to [Dane] a few weeks ago. I've been texting with him."

"We were trying to get him in [Killer] but unfortunately, the progression of his disease made it virtually impossible. But I was happy to see that he was here in Toronto working on, I think, another medical drama," he added.

The drama Dane was shooting for is Brilliant Minds. On the season 2 episode The Fire Fighter, Dane played a firefighter recently diagnosed with ALS and suffering in silence. The actor portrayed the struggle so well that he got "a 10-minute standing ovation after shooting that scene," per series creator Michael Grassi.

"I do try to stay in touch and see how he's doing. I think he's been incredibly courageous in the face of this horrible disease," Patrick shared.

Dempsey continued, "He's such a wonderful human being. He has such a great sense of humor, and he's so intelligent. I've always enjoyed working and being around Eric. It's heartbreaking. It really is. For him and for his family. You feel for them when you see this terrible disease and how quickly it attacks the body. But he's bringing a lot of light to that, and he’s using his platform in a positive way. I wish him the best."