"I cannot put into words how grateful I am or how much I miss her," the heartbroken son wrote in the moving statement.
Six months after Anne Heche passed away following a tragic vehicle accident, her 13-year-old son is publicly honoring his mother for the first time. The late actress was described by her son Atlas Heche Tupper as "the brightest person I've ever known" in a heartfelt tribute that was released on January 24 in honor of the publication of his mother's latest book, Call Me Anne. "She always knew how to solve a problem, or help a friend," the heartbroken son wrote in the moving statement shared with the Los Angeles Inquisitor. "She always knew the right thing to do. I cannot put into words how grateful I am or how much I miss her."
On August 5, Heche, 53 years old at the time, was hurt horribly in a car accident. The Emmy Award-winning actress was pronounced legally dead in the state of California on August 11 after spending over a week in a coma. To ensure that her organs could be donated in accordance with her wishes, her heart was kept safe until August 14.
Atlas' father, James Tupper, who dated Heche from 2007 until 2018, also spoke about the memories he has of the late actress, per PEOPLE. "Anne and I were together for more than a decade, we have a beautiful son together and in that time, she was the very definition of light in our lives, always bringing fun, love, and energy," he shared. "She will always be remembered in our hearts and minds."
The duo's tributes came after Heche's oldest son, Homer Laffoon, whom she has with ex-husband Coleman Laffoon, thanked the public for their "support" ahead of the release of his mother's memoir. "First things first, from August to now, the amount of love, care, and support shown by those on social media and IRL [in real life] has been overwhelming and blessedly received — thank you," he shared, in part, on Instagram. "One day at a time is working for me as I'm sure the healing journey will be a long one. Your good thoughts and well wishes will continue to comfort me on my path."
The 20-year-old Homer also discussed her latest novel, Call Me Anne, which Heche had been working on for months before her unfortunate passing. The memoir is Heche's second book after Call Me Crazy from 2001. Homer revealed that the book is the result of his mother's efforts to tell her story and serve others as much as she could. "Call Me Anne is the result and I know she was excited to share it with the world. I have a responsibility to share with her community what she was working on and how excited she would have been to tell you herself," he wrote.
"So, mom, here I am sharing it with the community you created, may it flourish and take on a life of its own, as you would have wanted," he added.
References:
https://people.com/tv/anne-heche-son-atlas-remembers-mom-first-public-tribute-since-her-death/
https://losangelesinquisitor.com/call-me-anne-a-tribute/
Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Jesse Grant
