Anne Heche is ‘not expected to survive’ the horror crash that left her in a coma, her family has said.
The American actress was rushed to hospital after a car sped through residential streets and smashed into a two-storey home in the Mar Vista area of Los Angeles, California on Friday last, before bursting into flames.
The 53-year-old, who drives a blue Mini Cooper, was removed from the scene on a stretcher and rushed to hospital, where she slipped into a coma in a critical condition.
A spokesperson told the PA news agency she had suffered ‘a significant pulmonary injury requiring mechanical ventilation and burns that require surgical intervention.’
Now a statement from her representative, on behalf of her family, says the actress is ‘not expected to survive.’
They told People that Heche ‘suffered a severe anoxic brain injury and remains in a coma, in critical condition.
‘It has long been her choice to donate her organs and she’s being kept on life support to determine if any are viable,’ they added.
They went on to thank everyone for ‘their kind wishes and prayers for Anne’s recovery,’ and expressed their gratitude to the medical staff who have cared for her in hospital.
Paying tribute to the actor, the spokesperson said: ‘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.’
It appears the blue Mini Cooper was involved in an earlier crash before the second which landed her in hospital.
Footage obtained by TMZ appeared to show the vehicle crashing into garages of an apartment complex a short while before, with residents ordering the driver out of the vehicle. It is then seen reversing before speeding off away from the garages.
It was reported that the crash caused a large fire inside the property impacted by the second incident, and required 59 firefighters to tackle the blaze, described as ‘stubborn flames within the heavily damaged structure’.
The homeowner was unharmed but the property is now ‘uninhabitable’ following the fire damage.
A neighbour told NBCLA: ‘The house was tons of smoke. I think they used the crane to move the car. It was crazy.
Following the incident, neighbours of the woman who lost her home – Lynne Mishele – have launched a GoFundMe to help cover the cost of replacing her belongings destroyed in the fire.
Metro.co.uk has reached out to reps for Anne Heche for comment.
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