Natasha Richardson - Injury and Death

Injury and Death

On 16 March 2009, Richardson sustained a head injury when she fell while taking a beginner skiing lesson at the Mont Tremblant Resort in Quebec, Canada about 80 miles (130 km) from Montreal. The injury was followed by a lucid interval, when Richardson seemed to be fine and was able to talk and act normally. Paramedics and an ambulance which initially responded to the accident were told they were not needed and left. Refusing medical attention twice, she returned to her hotel room and about three hours later was taken to a local hospital in Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts after complaining of a headache. She was transferred from there by ambulance to Hôpital du Sacré-Cœur, Montreal, in critical condition and was admitted about seven hours after the fall. The following day she was flown to Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, where she died on 18 March at the age of 45. An autopsy conducted by the New York City Medical Examiners Office on 19 March revealed the cause of death was an "epidural hematoma due to blunt impact to the head", and her death was ruled an accident.

On 19 March, theater lights were dimmed on Broadway in New York and in London's West End as a mark of respect for Richardson. The following day, a private wake was held at the American Irish Historical Society in Manhattan. On 22 March, a private funeral was held at St. Peter's Episcopal Church near Millbrook, New York, close to the family's upstate home, and Richardson was buried near her grandmother Rachel Kempson in the churchyard. Richardson's aunt Lynn Redgrave was also buried in the same churchyard on 8 May 2010, near Richardson and Kempson. Richardson's family issued a statement the day of her death, "Liam Neeson, his sons, and the entire family are shocked and devastated by the tragic death of their beloved Natasha. They are profoundly grateful for the support, love and prayers of everyone, and ask for privacy during this very difficult time."

Richardson was not wearing a helmet when she sustained her injury. This sparked a debate over whether wearing helmets while skiing should be mandatory. After the incident, the spokesman for Mont Tremblant ski resort, Ian Galbraith, stated that "we recommend all skiers and boarders wear helmets, (but) it is a matter of personal preference whether our guests choose to do so." A mandatory helmet law was never implemented in Quebec, though the Quebec Ski Areas Association budgeted 200,000 dollars towards a safety campaign. According to a BBC report, the number of skiers and snowboarders who wore helmets increased substantially after Richardson's death and several other high profile incidents.