Actress Anne Heche Taken Off Life Support, Dies of Injuries From Fiery Crash

Anne Heche attends the Los Angeles premiere of Netflix's "The Unforgivable" at DGA Theater Complex in Los Angeles on Nov. 30, 2021. Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images

Actress Anne Heche has died at the age of 53 after being taken off life support on Aug.14 following a fiery car crash in Los Angeles just nine days earlier.

Heche was “peacefully taken off life support,” after a compatible person was found to receive her donated organs, spokeswoman Holly Baird said in a statement to Reuters Sunday night.

Heche was hospitalized after crashing her blue Mini Cooper into a Los Angeles home shortly before 11 a.m. on Aug. 5, prompting a huge fire that took nearly 60 firefighters more than an hour to put out, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

The Ohio native suffered a “severe anoxic brain injury” among other critical injuries, and was not expected to survive, a representative for her family said in a statement obtained by Deadline on Aug. 11

She had been declared legally braindead but was on life support while waiting on an organ recipient match.

“It has long been her choice to donate her organs and she is being kept on life support to determine if any are viable,” Heche’s family representative said in the statement to Deadline.

“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 statement added.

Caution tape is seen at the site where actress Anne Heche crashed into a home in Mar Vista, Calif., on Aug. 8, 2022. Chris Delmas/AFP via Getty Images

Los Angeles Police Department began investigating Heche’s car accident immediately after and said narcotics were found in a blood sample taken from Heche. That investigation came to an end on Aug. 13.

Investigation Ends

“As of today, there will be no further investigative efforts made in this case,” the department announced on Aug. 13. “Any information or records that have been requested prior to this turn of events will still be collected as they arrive as a matter of formalities and included in the overall case. When a person suspected of a crime expires, we do not present for filing consideration.”

Heche first rose to fame on the NBC daytime television drama “Another World” from 1987 to 1991. She won a Daytime Emmy Award for the role of twins Marley and Vicky and starred in a string of films including “Six Days Seven Nights,” “Wag the Dog,” “Cedar Rapids,” and “Donnie Brasco.”

Anne Heche arrives at the 74th annual Directors Guild of America Awards at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. on March 12, 2022. Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

However, the actress endured a troublesome childhood; having lost her allegedly abusive father to AIDS at the age of 13. Her brother, Nathan, died three months after their father.

“I’m not crazy,” Heche told ABC News in 2001 on the release of her book “Call Me Crazy: A Memoir.” “But it’s a crazy life. I was raised in a crazy family and it took 31 years to get the crazy out of me.”

A new film about sex trafficking starring Heche is still set to air on Sept. 17, following her death, according to the Lifetime Movie Network, the production company that made the film, which is called “Girl in Room 13.“

Heche leaves behind two sons; 13-year-old Atlas from her relationship with actor James Tupper and Homer, 20, from her marriage to cameraman Coleman Laffoon.

Heche’s former partners, including Ellen DeGeneres, have paid tribute to her following her tragic accident.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.