Anne Heche remained on life support to see if she is a potential match for organ donation, her representative has confirmed. However, the actress is classified as “legally dead according to California law” after suffering a “severe anoxic brain injury” in a car crash last Friday. Here’s what you need to know.
The 53-year-old was taken to hospital following the crash in the Mar Vista area of Los Angeles. A representative of the actress told the PA news agency: “While Anne is legally dead according to California law, her heart is still beating, and she has not been taken off life support so that One Legacy (a national organ recovery organization) can see if she is a match for organ donation.”
Why Anne Heche Remained On life Support For Organ Match Search Despite Being “Legally Dead”
Following the update on her medical status, a statement on behalf of Heche’s family and friends said: “Today we 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.” Her family had previously said it had “long been her choice to donate her organs.”
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) previously confirmed to PA that the crash was being investigated as a felony driving-under-the-influence (DUI) traffic collision. An LAPD spokesman said preliminary blood tests had revealed the presence of drugs in Heche’s system but added that additional testing was required to rule out any substances that were administered in the hospital.
On Friday, a statement shared with PA on behalf of her family said the actress was “not expected to survive” the incident. “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 read.
“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 added.
Pictures and video footage obtained by TMZ following the incident showed Ms Heche driving a blue Mini Cooper, which was later pictured severely damaged at the scene. The vehicle struck a two-storey home and “erupted in heavy fire, ” according to the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD).
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