Hollywood actress Anne Heche has been pronounced "legally dead", a week after her car crashed into a building in the Mar Vista neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, a spokeswoman said on Friday. She was 53. Heche had been in a coma after she sustained a severe brain injury in the accident on August 5. Spokeswoman Holly Baird told AFP that the actress is "legally dead according to California law" due to the loss of complete brain function. Her family continues to keep her body on life support and are exploring organ donation options as her heart is still beating.

"Today we lost a bright light, a kind and most joyful soul, a loving mother, and a loyal friend," Heche's family said in a joint statement. They further said, "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." Heche's son Homer Laffoon issued a separate statement mourning the loss of his mother and said, "My brother Atlas and I lost our Mom. Hopefully my mom is free from pain and beginning to explore what I like to imagine as her eternal freedom."

Several leading celebrities expressed their condolences after hearing about the news of Heche’s death, including her former partner Ellen DeGeneres, who tweeted, "This is a sad day. I'm sending Anne's children, family and friends all of my love." Indian actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas too paid an emotional tribute on her Instagram Stories and wrote, "My heart goes out to Anne Heche's children, family, friends, and everyone who grieves. It was an honour to have known you and worked by your side. You were a lovely person and an incredible actress. You will always have a special place in my heart."

This is a sad day. I'm sending Anne's children, family and friends all of my love.

— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) August 12, 2022

Heche's car crashed into a two-story house, with the collision resulting in "structural compromise and... heavy fire" at the scene, the Los Angeles Fire Department said in a statement. According to reports, it took 59 firefighters more than an hour to extinguish the fire, with local media stating on Thursday that the preliminary tests showed the presence of narcotics in Heche's blood, although more tests were required for the identification of the particular drugs.

Anne Heche became a household name in the US after her role in the hit soap opera Another World, which earned her a Daytime Emmy award in 1991. She later became a Hollywood sensation after starring in films like Donnie Brasco, Volcano, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Six Days, Seven Nights, Psycho, to name a notable few, and was last seen in 13 Minutes released in 2021.