Ellen DeGeneres Breaks Her Silence Regarding Anne Heche’s Death

Ellen DeGeneres is honoring Anne Heche after the actress died Friday at age 53. Heche, who died after suffering burns and a severe brain injury when she crashed her car into a Los Angeles home Aug. 5, dated DeGeneres from 1997 to 2000.

The Ellen Show host shared a tribute to her late ex on Friday, shortly after news of Heche’s death was confirmed but after reports indicated she would not survive her injuries.

“This is a sad day. I’m sending Anne’s children, family and friends all of my love,” DeGeneres tweeted.

DeGeneres previously shared that she and Heche had not been in contact before the actress’s crash. When a photographer asked DeGeneres on Wednesday (Aug. 10) if she had spoken to Heche, she replied, “We’re not in touch with each other, so I wouldn’t know,” per Entertainment Tonight. 

She added, “I don’t want anyone to be hurt.”

Heche’s death was announced by her friends and family and reported by The Guardian on Friday.

The Six Days Seven Nights star suffered “a severe anoxic brain injury” and was “not expected to survive” her injuries from the crash, her friends and family stated on Friday, per CNN. They shared that Heche was in a coma at the time and in critical condition, but they were keeping her on life support in hopes of donating her viable organs.

Remembering Heche her her “huge heart” and “generous spirit,” her family and friends added, “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.”