Representatives for the family and friends of US actress Anne Heche have said that she has officially been declared brain dead after her fiery car crash in Los Angeles and will be taken off life support.
Heche, 53, will stay on a ventilator to determine whether any of her remaining organs are viable to be donated, per Heche’s wishes.
A rep for her loved ones said: ‘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 be an organ donor, so she will remain technically alive until the check is complete.
The statement continued: ‘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 actress, 53, was last reported still in a coma fighting for her life in the ‘worst state you can imagine after crashing her car into a house at 90mph while ‘high on cocaine’ last Friday.
It was reported that cocaine was found in Heche’s bloodstream following the horrific crash – but officials confirmed that she had not been drinking alcohol, despite being pictured with a vodka bottle in her cup holder.
A close friend of the actress told DailyMail.com: ‘She is in a terrible condition. Smoke inhalation is life-threatening.
‘It will be a miracle if she recovers from this and comes out of this coma.’
The actress lost control of her car as it careened into a home, and ignited a fire that badly burned her, leaving her in ‘extreme critical condition,’ her rep said.
It reportedly took 59 firefighters 65 minutes to ‘access, confine and fully extinguish the stubborn flames’ that were caused by Heche’s crash.
