Anne Heche’s family have released a statement following her horror car crash last week, saying she’s “not expected to survive.”
The 53-year-old US actress has been in a coma since the accident in Los Angeles last Friday.
“Unfortunately, due to her accident, Anne suffered a severe anoxic brain injury and remains in a coma in critical condition,” a representative said in a statement on behalf of Heche’s family, obtained by People. “She is not expected to survive.”
Heche’s rep added that the actress was being kept on life support to “determine if her organs are viable”.
“It has long been her choice to donate her organs,” Heche’s rep said.
Heche’s family went on to thank wellwishers for their support over the last few days, before talking about the star’s legacy.
“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,” the statement said.
“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.”
It comes after police confirmed earlier today that Heche tested positive for cocaine and possibly fentanyl at the time of her crash.
Los Angeles Police Department sources told TMZ that the actress’ blood test results came up positive for both substances.
However, the law enforcement insiders cautioned that fentanyl may have been administered to Heche at the hospital to help manage her pain after the accident, so they will do more testing to determine whether the fentanyl was in her system at the time of the crash, Page Six reports.
the Six Days Seven Nights actress, who dated Ellen DeGeneres in the ’90s, has been in an “extreme critical condition” at the medical center following the collision in Mar Vista, which also destroyed a house and displaced a woman and her dogs.
“She has a significant pulmonary injury requiring mechanical ventilation and burns that require surgical intervention,” Heche’s rep said earlier this week.
“She is in a coma and has not regained consciousness since shortly after the accident.”
Meanwhile, DeGeneres gave a surprisingly curt response yesterday when asked by a photographer about her former girlfriend.
When asked on Thursday if she’d checked in on Heche since the crash, DeGeneres said simply: “No, have not. We’re not in touch with each other, so I wouldn’t know.”
When asked if she wanted to send Heche any well-wishes, DeGeneres again kept it brief. “Sure… I don’t want anyone to be hurt,” she said.
DeGeneres and Heche were arguably Hollywood’s most visible same-sex couple for the three years they were together, from 1997 to 2000.
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