Natasha Richardson Dies In New York City Hospital
Posted March 18, 2009 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
It is the sad ending nobody wanted and everybody feared. Natasha Richardson died in a New York City hospital Wednesday night, not long after being taken off life support.
The actress suffered a traumatic and fatal brain injury while skiing in Quebec on Monday. Her family, including husband Liam Neeson, the couple’s two sons and mother Vanessa Redgrave were at the facility when she died.
The decline of the Tony Award winner came with a stunning swiftness. Her accident at a Mt. Tremblant beginner’s hill earlier this week seemed relatively innocent and reports indicate the actress was talking after falling at the resort.
But she took a sudden turn for the worse, and was sent to hospital in Montreal. By the time Neeson got there from a Toronto film shoot, she was already diagnosed as being brain dead. It seemed almost unthinkable, given the original nature of her injuries, and the family quickly made arrangements to transport her by air to a New York City facility. But they couldn’t save her.
Her family made the agonizing decision to take her off life support on Wednesday afternoon and she succumbed to her injuries later in the day.
Richardson, a noted stage and screen actress, was born in London to Redgrave and director Tony Richardson. She appeared in the films Evening, The Handmaid’s Tale, and Nell.
She and Redgrave were scheduled to star in a 2010 Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Night Music. Richardson’s career highlights included the film “Patty Hearst” and a Tony-winning performance in a 1998 stage revival of “Cabaret.”
She’s been married to Neeson since 1994.
The family issued a statement Wednesday night saying they are “shocked and devastated by the tragic death of their beloved Natasha.” It expresses profound gratitude for the love and support of fans and friends, and asks for privacy during a difficult time.
Richardson’s tragedy is compounded by her age. She was a still young 45 years old when she passed away.
Funeral arrangements are pending.
