After the crash, Anne Heche deleted her podcast where she talked about drinking alcohol 1:24
(CNN) — Anne Heche’s son paid tribute to his mother on Friday, saying the family has lost “a kind and cheerful soul, a loving mother and a loyal friend.”
In a statement, Heche’s son Homer Laffoon, 20, wrote: “My brother Atlas and I lost our mother. After six days of almost unbelievable emotional swings, I was deeply saddened and speechless. I hope my mother is pain free and begins to explore what I like to envision as her eternal freedom.”
Last Friday, Heche was in a speeding car when it went off the road and collided with a burning apartment building, Los Angeles Police Department Public Information Officer Jeff Lee told CNN.
A week after the accident, Heche is “brain dead” but remains on life support, according to a statement from her family and friends shared with CNN by her rep.
Under California law, Heche is presumed legally dead due to her condition.
According to the representative, Heche was not taken off life support, giving them time to determine if she is eligible for organ donation.
“It has long been her decision to donate her organs and she is being kept alive to determine if any are viable,” the family said in a statement earlier Thursday night.
“We have lost a bright light, a kind and cheerful soul, a loving mother and a devoted friend,” the family’s earlier statement said. “Anne will be sorely missed, but she lives on through her beautiful children, iconic work and passionate dedication. Her courage to always stand up for her truth, to spread her message of love and acceptance, will continue to have a lasting impact. “
According to the family representative, Heche suffered a severe anoxic brain injury as a result of the accident, which deprives the brain of oxygen.
According to Lee, a woman who was in the home at the time of the crash suffered minor injuries but received medical attention.
In her message Thursday, Heche’s family and friends thanked her care team at West Hills Hospital’s Grossman Burn Center and paid tribute to Heche’s “big heart” and “generous spirit.”
Anne Heche, here in 2018, was injured in a car accident last Friday.
“More than her extraordinary talent, she saw her life’s work in spreading kindness and joy, particularly in moving the needle in acceptance of those you love,” the statement reads. “She will be remembered for her fearless honesty and missed for her light.”
See iconic moments from Anne Heche’s career 1:27
Heche rose to fame on the soap opera Another World, in which she played the dual roles of twins Vicky Hudson and Marley Love from 1987 to 1991. She received a Daytime Emmy Award for her performance on the series.
Heche continued this success with numerous films, including “Donnie Brasco”, “Wag the Dog” and “Six Days Seven Nights” with Harrison Ford.
In recent years, Anne Heche has appeared on television shows such as The Brave, Quantico, and Chicago PD.
After the accident, there was a surge of support for the actress in the Hollywood community. Her ex-partner and former Men in Trees co-star James Tupper, with whom she had one of her two children, wrote on Instagram: “Thoughts and prayers to this beautiful woman, actress and mother tonight, Anne Heche. We love you.”