Anne Heche’s team shared a new update on her health Thursday, stating that she suffered a severe anoxic brain injury and is “not expected to survive” following a car crash last week.
According to the statement, sent from Heche’s publicist to The Hollywood Reporter, the star remains in a coma and in critical condition, as she is being kept on life support to determine if her organs are viable for donation.
The Los Angeles Fire Department had confirmed in a public report that her car collided with a two-story home in the Mar Vista neighborhood of Los Angeles on Friday, causing a fire. The Los Angeles Police Department previously confirmed to THR that Heche was being investigated for misdemeanor driving under the influence and hit-and-run stemming from the incident, although no charges have been filed.
Her team shared an update to media outlets Monday saying that she was in a coma and in critical condition. “She has a significant pulmonary injury requiring mechanical ventilation and burns that require surgical intervention,” the statement at that time read, in part.
Heche is known for such films as I Know What You Did Last Summer, Volcano and Six Days, Seven Nights, along with TV credits including Men in Trees and Hung. She won a Daytime Emmy Award in 1991 for her role on the NBC soap opera Another World.
Lifetime stated earlier Thursday that Girl in Room 13, the network’s upcoming film in which Heche stars as a mother searching for her missing daughter, is still set to air in September as planned.
The latest statement from Heche’s publicist is below.
On Behalf of Family and Friends of Anne Heche:
We want to thank everyone for their kind wishes and prayers for Anne’s recovery and thank the dedicated staff and wonderful nurses that cared for Anne at the Grossman Burn Center at West Hills hospital.
Unfortunately, due to her accident, Anne Heche suffered a severe anoxic brain injury and remains in a coma, in critical condition. She is not expected to survive.
It has long been her choice to donate her organs and she is being kept on life support to determine if any are viable.
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.
