Ellen DeGeneres posted a heartfelt message to the family and friends of her ex-girlfriend Anne Heche expressing her sympathy. Several hours before Heche’s rep announced her death, the former talk show host, 64, shared a message to her ex’s two sons — Atlas, 13, and Homer, 20 — on social media.
“This is a sad day,” DeGeneres tweeted on August 12. “I’m sending Anne’s children, family, and friends all of my love.” DeGeneres and Heche dated from 1997 to 2000. In 1999, they declared they would wed if Vermont’s supreme court legalized same-sex marriage in a high-profile case. Another ex of Heche, actor James Tupper, with whom she had sparred over custody of their son Atlas, 13, moved past their issues in an Instagram post that reads, “Love you forever,” with a broken heart emoji.
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Last week Heche was involved in a car crash in Los Angeles. According to the Los Angeles Fire Department, the actress was driving her Mini Cooper at high speed when the car caught fire and burst into flames inside a two-story house. Critically injured, Heche was treated on the scene and transported to a nearby hospital.
On August 8, her rep stated that the actress had slipped into a coma and had not regained consciousness. After a preliminary test revealed that Heche’s blood contained drugs, a Los Angeles police spokesperson confirmed that the accident would be investigated as a DUI traffic collision.
The actress’s rep stated on August 12 that Heche remained in critical condition and was not expected to survive, then confirmed that she had passed away the same day. “Today, we lost a bright light, a kind and most joyful soul, a loving mother, and a loyal friend,” the rep said 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. Her bravery for always standing in her truth, spreading her message of love and acceptance, will continue to have a lasting impact.”
The rep pointed out that the actress is technically dead under California law. However, her heart is still beating, and she has not been taken off life support, so the One Legacy Foundation will have time to find recipients for her organs.
