Anoxic brain injury explained as actress Anne Heche dies following life support removal

In the weeks following Anne Heche’s tragic August 12 death, her family has been left with an enormous hole in their hearts. Now, they are working to make sure her estate gets properly handled.

died as the result of a car crash that occurred Aug. 5 in Los Angeles.

Hollywood star Anne Heche’s death has officially been ruled an accident, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner has confirmed. The 53 year old actress, who was best known for her work in films such as Donnie Brasco alongside Johnny Depp, and Wag the Dog, alongside Dustin Hoffman and Robert DeNiro, died last week after crashing her Mini Cooper car into a two-storey home in Los Angeles. It is thought the star was travelling at around 90mph at the time of the collision, exploding into a fireball that left the home uninhabitable.

The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner has released its official findings in the death of Anne Heche, ruling her death to be an accident.

Anne Heche has been peacefully taken off life support and is set to donate her organs, the late actress' rep confirmed to ET. This comes after the 53-year-old was deemed brain dead on August 12, despite her heart still beating, which is the definition of death according to California law, Heche's rep told ET at the time. Heche was being held on life support in order to donate her organs. Now, the star has been taken off medical assistance Sunday evening and her organ recipients have been identified. «Today we lost a bright light, a kind and most joyful soul, a loving mother, and a loyal friend,» Heche's rep told ET in a statement on Friday.

Anne Heche, the star of Six Days Seven Nights Donnie Brasco, Wag the Dog and a Daytime Emmy-winning TV actress who was equally comfortable in everything from heavy dramas to sitcoms to romantic comedies, has been taken off life support. Declared brain dead several days ago, following her Aug. 5 fiery car crash in Los Angeles, Heche had been left on a ventilator with her heart beating so she could be evaluated for organ donation. After multiple organs were successfully harvested today, Heche was taken off life support. She was 53.

US actor Anne Heche has been declared legally brain dead a week after being involved in a car crash that left her critically injured. The Six Days, Seven Nights actor was taken to the hospital on August 5 after her car crashed into a Los Angeles home and caught on fire. “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 family had kept her on life support to allow time for OneLegacy Foundation to find recipients who would be a match, as it had been “her wish” to donate her organs.

Anne Heche has been declared brain dead after crashing her car into a Los Angeles home on Aug. 5.

Anne Heche has died at age 53 a week after being hospitalized following a car crash in Los Angeles

Anne Heche crashed her blue Mini Cooper into a home a little before 11 a.m. PT on Friday, Aug.

Anne Heche, the actress best known for her roles in the soap opera  and films such as , and, is brain dead at age 53, multiple outlets reported on Friday.While the actress' heart is still beating, she is brain dead, which is the definition of death according to California law, the outlets reported. Her family's rep told  that Heche has not been taken off life support in order to allow OneLegacy Foundation enough time to find organ recipients who will be a match.«Today we lost a bright light, a kind and most joyful soul, a loving mother, and a loyal friend,» Heche's rep told the outlet in a statement. «Anne will be deeply missed but she lives on through her beautiful sons, her iconic body of work, and her passionate advocacy.

Ellen DeGeneres is sending her love to Anne Heche's family amid news that the actress is «not expected to survive» following last week's fiery car crash.The former talk show host took to Twitter on Friday and express that «this is a sad day.» She added, «I'm sending Anne's children, family and friends all my love.» The sentiment comes a day after a rep told ET that Heche may not recover from the injuries she sustained in last week's car crash in the Mar Vista neighborhood of Los Angeles.«Unfortunately, due to her accident, Anne suffered a severe anoxic brain injury and remains in a coma, in critical condition,» the actress' rep said in a statement to ET on Thursday, on behalf of her family. «She is not expected to survive.»The rep added, «It has long been her choice to donate her organs and she's being kept on life support to determine if any are viable.»This is a sad day.

following a fiery car crash that left her in a coma for a week — with her rep confirming that she is “brain dead” and under California law that is the definition of death.Heche died at a Los Angeles-area hospital, her rep said in a statement Friday. She was 53.“We have lost a bright light, a kind and most joyful soul, a loving mother, and a loyal friend,” the statement said.

Instagram Friday morning. TMZ later reported that she was brain-dead, which is legally considered dead in California.

Anne’s ex-girlfriend Ellen DeGeneres previously admitted that she was no longer “in touch” with the actress but hoped she could recover. “I don’t want anyone to be hurt,” the TV host said.The representative took a moment to talk about her kindness and successful career.

Actress Anne Heche has died aged 53 after her life support was switched off following a car crash last week. Her death was announced by her friend Nancy Davis and family, The Guardian reports.

Guardian, the news was confirmed by her family, after they previously announced she’d be taken off life support.