Anne Heche has been taken off life support nine days after enduring fatal injuries in a devastating car crash.
On August 5, the 53-year-old actor crashed her vehicle at speed into a home in the Mar Vista neighborhood of Los Angeles. The collision resulted in a fierce fire breaking out, which took 59 firefighters more than an hour to extinguish. The I Know What You Did Last Summer star was then transferred to the Grossman Burn Center at West Hills (California) Hospital and Medical Center.
Representatives for the star revealed on Friday (August 12) that Heche had been pronounced "legally dead according to California law" after suffering from burns and "a severe anoxic brain injury".
However, the decision was made to keep the star's body alive so that her organs could be matched and donated. "It has long been her choice to donate her organs and she is being kept on life support to determine if any are viable," her representative said at the time.
Now, Sky News has reported that Heche's body has been "peacefully taken off life support".
A spokesperson for the Volcano star confirmed that doctors were able to identify donor recipients and remove and transplant "multiple organs".
On Friday, a statement release on behalf of her family described Heche as "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," the statement continued. "Her bravery for always standing in her truth, spreading her message of love and acceptance, will continue to have a lasting impact."
Heche's acting talents were first spotted by a talent agent while she was performing in a school play after her family had moved to Chicago.
Her breakout role came in 1987, when she was cast as twins Marley Love and Vicky Hudson in Another World - roles that would earn her a Daytime Emmy Award and two Soap Opera Digest Awards.
She would go on to captivate audiences with her roles in 1997's Volcano and Donnie Brasco, as well as the 1998 Psycho remake.
In 2004, she would receive both an Emmy nomination for her performance in the TV movie Gracie's Choice and a Tony nomination for her role opposite Alec Baldwin in the Broadway production of Twentieth Century.
Throughout the 00s, Heche would also land leading roles in the TV shows Men in Trees and Hung.
She also competed in the 29th season of Dancing with the Stars in 2020.
Heche is survived by her two sons.
Our thoughts continue to go out to Heche's family, friends, and fans at this time.
