natasha richardson life support

The family of Natasha Richardson is reported to have taken her off life support Wednesday afternoon after a skiing accident left her brain dead.

Richardson was surrounded by family including her mother Vanessa Redgrave, aunt Lynn Redgrave, husband Liam Neeson and her two sons Michael 13, and Daniel 12.

Richardson was flown to New York yesterday to be close to family and friends. Initial reports suggested that she was in a serious condition, although TMZ was alone in denying the reports. With life support switched off, it’s believed that she won’t last the night.

Since her arrival, Neeson and the couple's two sons had been keeping vigil. Also paying visits were members of Richardson's family, including her mother, Oscar winner Vanessa Redgrave, sister Joely Richardson and aunt Lynn Redgrave.

“It’s particularly tragic for Vanessa,” laments a Richardson confidante, “because she just finished playing a woman who loses her daughter in The Year of Magical Thinking, and now she has to endure it all over again.”

"[Richardson] was accompanied by an experienced ski instructor who immediately called the ski patrol," a statement from the Mont Tremblant resort said. "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."

Resort spokeswoman Catherine Lacasse said that the actress was not wearing a ski helmet for her lesson. Reports say she was with her two sons with Neeson, Micheal Richard Antonio, 13, and Daniel Jack, 12, and returned to her hotel room shortly afterward.

"She was laughing and joking, and she walked to her room on her own," Lacasse said.

An hour later, Richardson fell ill with a headache. She reportedly was conscious upon leaving for the hospital. Richardson was transferred to Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur de Montréal at about 5 p.m. after initially being taken to Centre Hospitalier Laurentien, which is close to the tony ski resort in Quebec.

The couple left the hospital together via ambulance at about 12:30 p.m. and were taken to Elliott Trudeau Airport to board a private flight back to New York.

related story:natasha richardson die at 45

natasha richardson dies??

Breaking news: Natasha Richardson, 45, the wife of Liam Neeson, dies today after a skiing accident at Mont Tremblant ski resort. She appeared to be fine after hitting her head, no bleeding, no symptoms. She then developed a headache, which eventually led to severe brain damage.

“I can only speculate, but it sounds like something we call the ‘talk and die’ syndrome,” said Dr. Steven Flanagan, director of Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine at New York University’s Langone Medical Center.

“What this implies is that someone hits their head and they are seemingly OK initially, but then they get a rapid collection of blood - usually called epidural hemorrhage - and that means bleeding between the skull and the brain.

natasha richardson dies??

Well known actress Natasha Richardson has just been reported legally dead. I know many of you heard that she was in a skiing accident this morning, but not one thought much of it, now Fox is reporting that she is “brain dead and being flown back to New York, where she will be taken off life support.” She was reported to be fine “fine at first.” She hit her head while learning to ski but then was seen talking and conscious. An hour later the 45-year-old actress’ said she had a headache and her health began to go down hill fast. Doctors are speculating that she died of “talk and die” syndrome.

Producers confirmed that her Richardson’s husband, Liam Neeson, left the set of his upcoming film Chloe immediately for Montreal to see her. It is unknown if he was able to speak to her before she lost consciousness.

Richardson comes from a long line of actors, her maternal grandparents were the actors Michael Redgrave and Rachel Kempson, and her uncle Corin and aunt Lynn Redgrave are also both actors. Sister Joely Richardson is also an actress, best known for starring in the TV series “Nip/Tuck.”

This is truly horrible news and our condolences go out to her family and loves ones.