Natasha Richardson Critically Injured, Flying to NYC?

0309natasharichardson.jpg As previously mentioned, sad news of actress Natasha Richardson being injured during a skiing accident yesterday was reported this morning. Richardson, wife of Liam Neeson, was at a Montreal-area resort taking a beginner's lesson when she fell. While she didn't have a helmet on, the NY Times has word from a spokeswoman at the resort who said “She didn’t show any signs of injury, she was talking and she seemed all right.” But now the 45-year-old Tony-award winner is reportedly in critical condition with a brain injury. The latest word is that she is "sedated and suffering from brain swelling -- but is not brain dead." And TMZ has just reported that she was boarded onto a private jet with a medic team to be taken to a new hospital that they believe is in New York City.

UPDATE: While conflicting reports continue to spread, the NY Post has now updated their article to say, "Actress Natasha Richardson is brain dead...and is now on sad journey home to New York. Richardson, who was being treated at a Montreal hospital, is being transported to New York this afternoon so her mom Vanessa Redgrave, two children and other loved ones can say goodbye before she's taken off life-support."

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shouldn't she take a Central Park hansom cab with hubby Liam?

i hope she recovers. she is a milf par excellence.

Wow. What a crazy event. If they have to, they can drill a small hole in her cranium to relieve the pressure and she can make a full recovery -or a mostly full recovery, for as the neurosurgeons like to say, "when the air hits your brain, you're never the same".

Great. Why didn't you tell us that before I had my trepanning?

those doctors better revive her cause they don't want Liam Neeson to go Taken on their asses.

Baby Hitler you are Goehring to kill me with your sense of humor!! LMAO!!

all the reports are conflicted, some even reported her dead. I wish her a speedy recovery. I still can't stand her husband Neeson who support the cruelty of NYC horse drawn carriages. The Huffington post still reports that she may be brain dead but Time Out New York reported her dead yesterday.

This is a pretty stupid place to rehash your stance on the horse drawn carriage stuff.

This must be your first day here. Welcome to Gothamist.

That is your opinion and that fact is that her husband Neeson was the spoke person for the NYC carriage industry and even sending all the city council member letters supporting the cruelty. Everytime I see his name, I now associate it with the horse drawn carriage industry. He was even in Jon Stewart show about it, but Jon call him out on it and said the horses do have the right for pastures instead of trotting on 11th Avenue. I resent Liam Neeson's misinformation and lack of compassion but I do feel bad if she really is brain dead as some papers reported. What I don't understand is why people here are so annoy by comments. Jeez, I feel like I am with little old ladies who find discomfort in such small things.

If your comment was relevant to the article's subject matter, I wouldn't be annoyed. Further, I think you using this article to go on about the horse issue trivializes the woman's injury and trivializes your cause as well.

first I noted that the comment about his movies and other stuff. It is your opinion that it is irrelevant and life is too short to be annoyed about a comment. I didn't say anything offensive even so lets move on now.

BLAH BLAH BLAH WHINE WHINE WHINE NEIGH NEIGH NEIGH!!!

not an unsurprising response from an wannabe cowboy.

Not an unsurprising response from a wannabe cowboy. grow up.

Not a bad comeback from a wannabe person. Speaking of growing up, maybe one day when you grow up you'll come to realize that yelling FIRE everytime you see a spark causes people to ignore you when there's a real fire.

Um, guys, we're talking about a woman who was seriously injured in an accident, and her family is obviously in pain. We can all just wish for the best possible resoultion of this for Ms Richardson and her family. And Felix, I'm so glad I have serious day job which occupies me until midnight caring for people who seriously need help. It keeps me from being disillusioned with the world, and having to encounter such pettiness and monomaniacal egotism. Best to all, especially the Richardson/Neeson family

you still have me, the guy with nothing to lose
who's also a cat lover. glad you have a day job,
me? I don't.

I should have known you would have no idea what I was talking about. I'll try to bring it down to your level to help you understand.

The more you complain about all of the little things that you like to complain about, the more people will completely ignore your overall message. Yes, it is wrong to knowingly and maliciously hurt animals. But, people like you enjoy bitching about organizations that actually take pretty good care of the animals under their supervision; probably better than they take care of themselves (seriously, have you ever seen the living conditions of carnies?).

These animals are taken away from their natural predators and given food, shelter, and a daily routine to keep them fairly sane. Since you enjoy anthropomorphizing animals, doesn't that sound like a good life for a human?

It sounds like a freak accident. She didn't hit trees, and was on a Green run, which is basically flat except for a few small hills.

It sounds like she hit her head and no one (herself included) realized it was serious.

I hope she recovers.

You don't need trees or a steep slope to hit your head hard - simply falling backward onto the hard surface is enough.

I had a similar accident as a child - skull fracture from falling off the back of a sled onto the packed snow. I wish her the best recovery.

You're right about that, one of the hardest falls I ever took was on a green run because I caught an edge on the flat slope.

NY Post says she is in fact brain dead, and she's being flown back to New York only so loved ones can say goodbye before she is taken off life support. :(

oh, well, if it's in the Post...

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Was she wearing a helmet when she fell?

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Article says she wasn't wearing a helmet because one wasn't needed. I guess by that logic the first time you get a driving lesson you shouldn't have to wear a seatbelt, nor should you wear a helmet while learning to ride a bike.

How many people that ski wear a helmet?

Only one person on this blog would know.

I haven't been skiing in probably five years so maybe things have changed, but before that had done it dozens of times (even vacationed at the same place, Mount Tremblay, once). Not only have I never worn a helmet or even considered wearing one, I don't think I've ever seen an adult skier wearing one outside of competition. They're not required in any state, even for kids.

Not saying it's a bad idea, but it's absolutely not surprising or rare that she wasn't wearing one.

I really hope the NY Post is wrong.

I've never worn a helmet either, but sure will consider it now.

Many snowboarders wear helmets, no?

Snowboarders yes, but skiers, rarely. People I know who have skied for decades would never think about wearing a helmet. But with boarding, it's easy to catch an edge and slam onto your noggin.

Either way, I think its a good idea to wear a helmet for either snow sport.

Yep, definitely more common among snowboarders (which is why I specified "adult skier" above). But they're more likely to be intentionally making dangerous maneuvers.

I was skiing this weekend, incidentally. The slopes were super icy and dangerous. I have been skiing since I was five and always considered myself to be responsible and expereinced, but the more I hear stories like this, the more I think that a helmet is in my future.

I guess that you don't have to be skiing dangerously (Michael Kennedy) to get hurt.

A lot of mountains require them for kids. I wear one because the kids do. Gotta say I thought it would me lame and it isn't. Warm, light and comfortable. vent holes open and close to regulate temp.

Agreed. A helmet is way cooler than a headsock and goggles or one of those stupid felt neon dreadlock hats that I always see.

You know, I would say that more often than not, newer skiers/riders are all wearing helmets these days. Especially kids. And I think that beginners or people skiing/riding for the first time don't tend to wear them because it's a high cost item. But some ski areas are starting to rent helmets, so I would say that you should rent one if you can. A case of head lice is way better than a fractured skull or worse.

And I've been skiing for 20 or so years and I bought a helmet about 5 years ago. My parents even have helmets.

People don't wear helmets when bike riding, which poses a greater risk to head injury, I would think. I wonder if she actually wasn't on a trail, or on a match with little snow -- a proper depth would absorb any hard impact.

I snowboard in Lausanne many times every year and I never wear helmets or face wear which is why I suffer from wind burn several times. Perhaps this incident has changed my mind and I will wear a helmet but many in Switzerland don't wear helmets either.

I eat snowcones several times a year in NYC and never wear a helmet. Many NYC don't wear them while eating snowcones, but more are wearing aluminum foil hats to block out the evil radio waves.

This is very sad news! My condolences to the family. Helmets are not required for skiing, but they have become so popular for both skiers and snowboarders that one would think they are. Most resorts actually rent them out along with ski/board equipment. I just got a helmet for skiing this year after skiing for the past 10 years. This story makes me realize its probably a good investment.

Helmet vs None

It is possible that the fall may not have caused the injury. Isn't there a possibility that she could have had a mini-stroke or some type of aneurysm that resulted in her falling?

I was thinking that earlier myself.

The post still states the Natasha Richardson is brain dead, I have to admit the post has broken some good story on NYC corruption. I also wonder why Fat Sharpton has been quiet lately. I think the post paid him off already to start his protests. Fat sharpton is a real sell out.

i meant paid him off to STOP his protests

Very sad, especially for her kids.

I just heard earlier on the radio she was doing ok, apparently she took a turn for the worse.

Seems strange that going on two hours now no other news source can confirm the Post story. Either the Post has a well placed source or they have been completely snowed. I suppose if it were false a publicist for Neeson or Richardson would be on their case.

Gothamist commenters are sick people. Whatever you think of Liam Neeson (and I disagree with his stance vehemently), it takes a twisted mind to wish death and sadness for his wife and kids.

Who wish her death? I have not noted any such comments and I wish death upon no one. I respect all life since life deserve dignity and respect.

Don't mind Spirit he has a reading comprehension problem. He's like that all the time. I hear he's starting his freshman year in special ed next year to clear that along with other problems he has.

I hope the Post is wrong (as they so often are!) If there was one cast member from The Parent Trap remake that I thought would die this year, it was totally Lohan.

According to NBC News, she is in the hospital but there is no word on her condition.

The daily news posted the same story now that She is Brain dead and her family are bidding her a farewell. Wow, the post broke the story. RIP Natasha Richardson and send her sons condolences for the loss of their mother.

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