Anne Heche was involved in a fiery car accident in Los Angeles on Aug. 5. The actor suffered from a “severe anoxic brain injury," according to a statement from her spokesperson. TODAY has confirmed that Heche is "legally dead," and is being kept on life support for purposes of organ donation.
The actor, known for her work in "Men in Trees" and "Donnie Brasco," has two sons: Homer Laffoon, 20, and Atlas Heche Tupper, 13, whom she shares with exes Coley Laffoon and James Tupper, respectively.
She was married to Laffoon, a real estate broker, from 2002 to 2009. Heche and Tupper, 57, were together for more than 10 years after meeting on the set of the the 2006 TV drama “Men in Trees.” They announced their split in 2018, per ET.
The day Heche was declared legally dead, Homer issued a statement shared with TODAY: "My brother Atlas and I lost our Mom. After six days of almost unbelievable emotional swings, I am left with a deep, wordless sadness. Hopefully my mom is free from pain and beginning to explore what I like to imagine as her eternal freedom. Over those six days, thousands of friends, family, and fans made their hearts known to me. I am grateful for their love, as I am for the support of my Dad, Coley, and my stepmom Alexi who continue to be my rock during this time. Rest In Peace Mom, I love you, Homer."
Heche often spoke about being a mother, and often blogged about parenthood in a column for People. She also spoke about being a proud mother of boys.
“I play football, baseball … I play all these things I never thought I would play. Anything with a ball, they love,” the actor told parenting website Breezy Mama in 2013. “Boys are cuddlers and lovers, though. When you tire them out, they love to sit and cuddle their mama. That’s the blessing of boys.”
Homer Laffoon
Homer, Heche's first son, was born in March 2002. When Homer was five, Heche spoke about being happy in that moment. “It’s weird how life takes you on different journeys. I’ve lived a lot of lives actually. This one I’d like to stay in for a while,” she told ET, per People.
In 2012, Heche wrote a blog post for People about taking Homer to tennis summer camp, and the pride she felt at his improvement over the three weeks.
"It’s what we want for our kids. A hope — a satisfaction that when we work, we can provide for them anything that gives them a good feeling about themselves. That’s it. The mom wars. The good, the bad, the ugly. The future. It’s all about them. And what I learned this summer is if you really are reaching out to them, for them, they will come to embrace it," she wrote.
In 2017, Homer shared a throwback of himself and his mom at a screening of “Michael Jackson’s This Is It.” In the sweet snap, Heche is seen hugging young Homer from behind.
According to the recent high school graduate's dad, Homer has a knack for numbers. “Adios junior year. Here’s what a guy looks like when he got a 96 on a math final exam,” a proud Coley Laffoon wrote on Instagram at the time. “And he knows everything about everything. I am in are of that motor on that mind of yours.”
Atlas Heche Tupper
Atlas was born in March 2009, per People. Heche has spoken about the close bond that Homer has with his brother Atlas. According to Heche, they share a sense of humor.
“Both of my kids crack me up. I play a game with Atlas where he tries to hit a Waffle ball one-handed with a bat while running,” she told People in 2017. “He’s very coordinated but if he misses, he’ll say, ‘Mom, go get it!’ So basically he’s turned me into a dog.”
While talking with the publication, Heche also described her and Atlas’ impromptu dance parties.
“We turn on music and groove out. I also incorporate it in my workout and I’ll have him join me so it becomes fun,” she revealed. “‘My House’ (by Flo Rida) is Atlas’s fave. He’ll always say, ‘Google, play ‘Welcome to My House.’ He’s a dedicated, devoted child.”
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