UPDATE: Anne Heche has passed away at age 53, according to her representative.
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“Today we lost a bright light, a kind and most joyful soul, a loving mother, and a loyal friend.
“Anne will be deeply missed but she lives on through her beautiful sons, her iconic body of work, and her passionate advocacy. Her bravery for always standing in her truth, spreading her message of love and acceptance, will continue to have a lasting impact.”
The representative told PEOPLE that Heche is “legally dead” according to California law, that her heart is still beating and she has not been taken off life support in order to allow OneLegacy Foundation enough time to find recipients who will be a match.
— original reporting below:
Actress Anne Heche is not expected to survive after a horrifying car accident last week, her publicist told Yahoo Entertainment.
“Unfortunately, due to her accident, Anne Heche suffered a severe anoxic brain injury and remains in a coma, in critical condition,” read the statement. “She is not expected to survive.”
Heche, 53, first backed her blue Mini Cooper into a garage at an apartment complex. She the was recorded speeding off and crashing into a house. The house then engulfing both the car and house in flames.
She was immediately rushed to a hospital, where she has remained on life support. Heche being responsible for the crash came shortly after the LAPD announced that she was being investigated for felony DUI. She reportedly was under the influence of cocaine.
“It has long been her choice to donate her organs and she is being kept on life support to determine if any are viable,” the family statement continued.
People already paying respect
The statement went on to thank Heche’s friends for their support and prayers.
“Anne had a huge heart and touched everyone she met with her generous spirit. More than her extraordinary talent, she saw spreading kindness and joy as her life’s work. Especially moving the needle for acceptance of who you love. She will be remembered for her courageous honesty and dearly missed for her light.”
The woman whose house was impacted in the crash, Lynne Mishele, suffered minor injuries. Her neighbors have since started a GoFundMe page. To help her replace “help her replace “an entire lifetime of possessions, mementos, all equipment for her business…; all of her clothing and basic necessities.”
Heche’s car crashed into the house at around 11 a.m.. The LA Fire Department said it took 59 firefighters nearly an hour for the situation. They said they need to ‘access, confine and fully extinguish the stubborn flames within the heavily damaged structure. and rescue one female adult found within the vehicle’.
People close to her also publicly addressing situation.
Actor Thomas Jane, once romantically linked to Heche, released a statement to the Daily Mail in which he said that she is “expected to pull through.”
Actor James Tupper, who has a son with Heche, posted a message of his own to social media.
“Thoughts and prayers for this lovely woman, actress and mother tonight anneheche,” he wrote, “we love you.”
Back in 2000, Heche drove from Los Angeles to Fresno, parked her SUV on the roadside, and wearing only a bra and shorts, walked through the desert, stopping only to knock on the door of a stranger’s house. She later admitted to taking ecstasy at the time.
Heche has played key roles in movies such as John Q, Wag the Dog, Cedar Rapids and My Friend Dahmer.