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Natasha Richardson Critically Injured in Skiing Accident

Liam Neeson's Wife May Have Suffered Brain Trauma in Ski Accident

Saul Relative
Natasha Richardson, the 45-year-old actress wife of famed actor Liam Neeson, was involved in a ski accident Monday at a Canadian resort and is listed in critical condition at a Montreal hospital. IrishCentral.com reported that Liam Neeson had left the set of "Chloe," a movie that he has been filming in Toronto, to be with his wife. Their source at the hospital said that Richardson is listed in critical condition. It is believed that she has suffered a traumatic brain injury, but little is actually known.

A representative for the movie Liam Neeson was working on confirmed in a statement to Canadian television that Neeson had left the set: "Liam Neeson left the Toronto set immediately to fly to Montreal upon news of his wife's accident. We do not have any details at this time but we hope for the best and our thoughts and prayers are with Natasha and Liam and their family."

According to the Associated Press, the resort, Mont Tremblant, said that Natasha Richardson had fallen on a beginners trail and had later said she was not feeling well. She had been receiving a private skiing lesson. After she had fallen, the ski instructor and a ski patrol had accompanied her back to the hotel, suggesting that she see a doctor. The resort's statement, in part, read: "She did not show any visible sign of injury but the ski patrol followed strict procedures and brought her back to the bottom of the slope and insisted she should see a doctor."

"An hour later she said she didn't feel well. She had a headache, so we sent her to the hospital," Catherine Lacasse, a spokesperson for Mont Tremblant, said. "There were no signs of impact and no blood, nothing."

Natasha Richardson married Liam Neeson in 1994 and the couple have two children. Not only is she married to one of the world's most famous actors, whose latest movie, "Taken," is still ranked at #4 in box office ticket sales after seven weeks in theatres (grossing $126.7 million to date, according to The Movie Times), she is also the daughter of Oscar-winning actress Vanessa Redgrave and the sister of Joely Richardson, star on the FX hit drama "Nip/Tuck." Her father was noted British filmmaker Tony Richardson.

Natasha Richardson has had a successful acting career as well, starring in movies like "Gothic," "The Handmaid's Tale," "The Comfort of Strangers," "The Parent Trap," "Nell," and "Maid in Manhattan." She was nominated for an Ace Award for Best Actress for her performance as Zelda Fitzgerald in the TNT original "Zelda" in 1993. She also won a Tony Award in 1998 for her portrayal of Sally Bowles in Sam Mendes' (Oscar-winning director of "American Beauty" and husband of Kate Winslet) production of "Cabaret."

Richardson is set to play in "Miss Julie" in December opposite Oscar-winner Phillip Seymour Hoffman.

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Sources:

Associated Press

The-Movie-Times.com

IrishCentral.com

Published by Saul Relative

WVU graduate, with degrees in History, English, Secondary Education, Computer Programming, and Psychology (and nearly a degree in Political Science). Originally from West Virginia, with stints in Virginia,...   View profile

6 Comments

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  • Linda Chevolleau - New Orleans, Louisiana 10/27/2010

    I am sorry to here about your lost. I have enjoyed knowing both of you from the movies. I do know that losing everything from Katrina, could never be as hard as losing a devoted wife & Mother. I will pray to Jesus for you and your children.

  • leslie burris 3/17/2009

    You never know what can happen. Last weekend, an old classmate died from a blood clot that resulted from a broken ankle!

  • Charlene Collins 3/17/2009

    This is so sad.

  • Wendy Dawn 3/17/2009

    This is a tragic story. Excellent coverage.

  • Rebecca Wrenn 3/17/2009

    I am so sorry to here about this skiing accident. I remember when Sonny Bono died from a skiing accident. Brain injuries happen more often than folks may realize. I know when my oldest son was only 4, he was injured in a fall at church, of all places. Except for a headache, there were no signs of injury--no swelling, no bumps, no bruises, nothing. A half hour later, he started vomiting and recognizing signs of a concussion, we took him to the hospital emergency room. He had a major skull fracture with internal swelling on the brain. Hospitalized in very serious condition, we were told if the fluid build-up didn't start draining outward through the fracture site, he would have to be air-lifted to another hospital for emergency brain surgery to relieve pressure on his brain. Fortunately, this was avoided and the only permanent brain damage he suffered was pet-mal and absence complex seizures that he had for years, otherwise he recovered from this fall. I just pray the best for Natasha R

  • Greenhill 3/17/2009

    Always sad when someone gets hurt.

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