The “Ally McBeal” star did not survive the violent car accident last Sunday. Anne Heche was 53 years old.
Updated just now
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Already on Friday morning, it became clear in a statement from the family that the actor would probably not survive the injuries after the collision last weekend.
– As a result of the accident, Anne Heche has suffered a critical brain injury and is still in a coma. She is not expected to survive, said a statement from her family and closest friends.
To online newspaper TMZ confirms Heche’s spokesperson that the American actor is brain dead, which according to California law is the definition of being dead.
–– Today we lost a bright light, a kind and most joyful soul, a loving mother and a loyal friend, writes a representative of the family in a statement, according to People.
The family’s rep confirms to People above that Heche is dead under California law, and says her heart is still beating with the help of machines pending a donor match.
Brain death is a permanent loss of all brain functions and the person is completely unconscious, according to major medical encyclopedias.
Artificially kept in a coma
Heche has been in a coma as a result of the brain damage she sustained during the accident, where she crashed ten meters into a house last Sunday.
As she is an organ donor, she has been artificially kept alive in anticipation of finding patients who can take over vital organs from her body.
– She saw spreading goodness and joy as her life’s work. In particular, she pushed the boundaries of acceptance of who one loves. She will be remembered for her courageous honesty and sorely missed for her light, the family said in a statement.
In addition to her extensive acting work, Anne Heche is also known as the partner of Ellen DeGeneres for a three-year period from 1997 to 2000.
DeGeneres expresses her grief after it was announced that Heche did not survive:
“This is a sad day. I send all my love to Anne’s children, family and friends,” she writes on Twitter and in a Stories post on Instagram.
On Thursday evening, the police confirmed that the star was under the influence of drugs during the collision. A crew of 59 spent over an hour extinguishing the fire in the house the car collided with, as well as the car itself. According to the fire service, Heche’s blue Mini Cooper broke ten meters into the house.
Heche was known from films such as “Donnie Brasco”, “Wag The Dog” and the remake of “Psycho”, as well as the TV series “Men in Trees”. She also had a guest role in “Ally McBeal”.
–Turbulent childhood
Anne Heche had a turbulent childhood and background. In a interview with CNN’s Larry King in 2001, in connection with her memoir “Call Me Crazy”, she spoke openly about how her father sexually abused her until he died of AIDS when Heche was 13 years old.
Anne Heche was the youngest in a group of five siblings. Now four of them are dead. Sisters Susan and Cynthia died of brain cancer and heart failure respectively, while brother Nathan died aged 18 in a car accident just three weeks after their father died.
On several occasions has Anne Heche said that her brother’s death was a suicide, not that he fell asleep behind the wheel and caused a nasty accident.
Now – almost 30 years later – Anne Heche herself has died in a nasty car accident.
Praised by the ex-husband
Friday evening Norwegian time, Heche’s former husband and acting colleague James Tupper posted a new Instagram message.
– Love you forever, writes Tupper.
The message ends with a heart emoji and shows a blurred picture of Anne Heche.
The former couple have a son Atlas Heche Tupper (13) together. Heche also has a son Homer Laffoon (20) from a previous relationship.
Tupper’s previous Instagram post included a photo of Heche holding Homer. The ex-husband calls her in this post a “beautiful woman, actress and mother”.
One of the actor’s friends, Nancy Davis, remembers Heche with the following Instagram tribute:
– Heaven has received a new angel. My loving, kind, funny, gracious and beautiful friend @anneheche has gone to heaven, writes Davis.
– I will miss her terribly and cherish all the beautiful memories we have shared. Anne was always the kindest, most caring person who always brought out the best in me, she pays tribute to the late actor.
Watch VGTV’s live broadcast: Anne Heche is dead
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