The Untimely Death Of Anne Heche

Hollywood is in mourning over the loss of Anne Heche, who has passed away at the age of 53 after a devastating car crash, per the Daily Mail. A representative for the actress told TMZ that Heche is "brain dead," which is considered death under California statutory law. A rep for her family told the outlet, "We have 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." 

Tributes from fans and colleagues alike have begun flooding social media as the world remembers Heche's life and career while mourning her untimely death. 

Heche started acting at the age of 12 to support her family, according to Biography. After high school, she moved to New York City to work on the soap opera "Another World" and won a Daytime Emmy in 1991. Two years later, she made her movie debut in "An Ambush of Ghosts," per IMDb. From there, she landed roles in "Donnie Brasco," "Volcano," and "Six Days Seven Nights," and was a fixture on television screens on "Ally McBeal," "Hung," "Men in Trees," and Chicago P.D." She received a Tony nomination for the Broadway revival of "Twentieth Century." 

However, Heche's personal life often overshadowed her work. She detailed her ultra-religious upbringing and mental health struggles in her 2003 memoir "Call Me Crazy." Her romantic life also hit headlines, as she was in a relationship with Ellen DeGeneres for more than three years, which she said hurt her career. "The stigma attached to that relationship was so bad that I was fired from my multimillion-dollar picture deal, and I did not work in a studio picture for 10 years," Heche revealed, per USA Today. 

Heche married videographer Coley Laffoon in 2001 and they share a son, Homer. They divorced in 2009 and she moved on with actor James Tupper, with whom she has a son, Atlas, per The U.S. Sun. She split with Tupper in 2018.

Anne Heche died after sustaining critical injuries from crashing her car into a private home in Los Angeles on August 5 (via NBC News). Although there had been reports that she was in stable condition, her representative quickly refuted those claims, telling CNN that Heche "has always remained in critical condition, slipping into a coma following the accident, adding that "she has a significant pulmonary injury requiring mechanical ventilation and burns that require surgical intervention."

Police are still investigating what caused the fiery crash, which put the late actress in a coma. Video footage from a doorbell camera captured just before the accident showed Heche's blue Mini Cooper speeding down a residential road, per Fox News. Additionally, TMZ reported that before crashing into the house, Heche allegedly almost ran over a pedestrian and hit a garage door and a Jaguar but fled the scene of both accidents. Sources from the LAPD told TMZ that her blood test showed traces of both cocaine and fentanyl.

Before her passing, Heche had several projects in the works. In addition to writing her second book, she had already filmed Lifetime's "Girl in Room 13" and the horror-thriller "Full Ride," as well as roles in the television shows "All Rise" and The Weeknd's HBO show "Idol" (via People).

Heche is survived by her two sons, Homer and Atlas.