Anne Heche is well-known for her various TV and movie roles, but it was always clear that one of her favorite roles was that of mom.
Following a devastating car crash that led to a coma on Aug. 5, Heche died on Aug. 12 at the age of 53.
The actress was the mother to two children, Homer and Atlas, whom she shared with her exes Coley Laffoon and James Tupper. She often posted loving sentiments about them to her social media pages and brought them along to events.
“Obviously, the miracle of life for a mother is just dumbfounding,” Heche previously told PEOPLE following the birth of her second child. “It’s so hard to explain how wonderful it is to look in the eyes of a child that you’re blessed with.”
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Learn more about Heche’s two children and her sweet bond with them ahead.
Homer Laffoon
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Heche’s first child, son Homer Laffoon, was born on March 2, 2002. The actress shares the 20-year-old with her ex-husband Coley Laffoon, to whom she was married from 2001 to 2009.
Homer was by his mom’s side for many public events, with their most recent being in November 2021 at Christian Siriano’s book release where they shared a hug. She had also shared some family moments with Homer and Atlas on Instagram, including one of them attending a game together which she captioned with the hashtag “luckiest mom.”
In her 2009 interview with PEOPLE, Heche expressed her pride at how well he was adapting to being a big brother to Atlas, saying, “It’s hard to share attention … but he’s really found his stride now and he’s very protective of him.”
Atlas Heche Tupper
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Atlas Heche Tupper, born on March 7, 2009, is Heche’s second child and first child with ex James Tupper. After meeting on the set of Men in Trees, the actors got together in 2007. The couple eventually split in 2018 after 10 years together.
Shortly after Atlas was born, Heche raved about his demeanor to PEOPLE, saying, “He’s just so easy I can’t believe it. He cracks a smile every time he opens his eyes and he’s a real bundle of joy.”
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She also relished being a parent for the second time, as it gave her the opportunity to appreciate the moments as they happened. “I think that helps as a mom, to be able to really take in the experience in maybe just a little bit slower way,” she said, “rather than being just so panicked about whether you’re doing this right.”
When Atlas turned 13, Heche posted an adorable beachside shot of the two of them, writing, “Atlas is a TEEN-AGER? … Today I celebrate both of my sons for each of their monumental Birthdays.”
Like Homer, Atlas was by his mom’s side for a handful of public events, most recently in December 2014. Heche also regularly posted about Atlas on her Instagram, giving glimpses of their “weekend getaways,” Halloween adventures, Valentine’s Day dinners and their fun car rides where they jammed out to Shawn Mendes. In one particularly sweet photo from January 2021, Heche posted a photo of them matching in leopard print with the caption, “Like mother, like son.”