Actress Natasha Richardson UPDATE has passed away after skiing accident

[MissieMt]

RIP Natasha. I can only hope that she passed quickly after they removed support. Having to sit by after removing support from a loved one is an experience beyond words. My Mom passed quickly after (I would guess within 45 mins, but honestly it is still a blur to this day). But that time can feel like forever while you are experiencing it.
I hope her family can find peace, someday.

 

[gaia227]

I wish the media would leave the family alone. I saw the video of Liam and the family arriving back and his apartment and they were met with a swarm of photographers taking their picture and videotaping them. I just think that is so, so disrespectful. They were coming back from literally just watching their daughter, mother, wife, sister, friend die and they are getting their pictures taken?

 

[azwriter]

My prayers are with her friends and family. What a tragedy.

OT but I had to say this - baby Sam is adorable.

 

[azwriter]

This is truly sad. And, it occured when she was doing something fun and relaxing. You just never know when god is going to call you home. I guess the prettiest flowers are always the first ones to be picked from the garden.

 

[drew]

I wish the media would leave the family alone. I saw the video of Liam and the family arriving back and his apartment and they were met with a swarm of photographers taking their picture and videotaping them. I just think that is so, so disrespectful. They were coming back from literally just watching their daughter, mother, wife, sister, friend die and they are getting their pictures taken?

I agree. I'm ashamed of myself for visiting TMZ and watching the videos.
Leave this family alone. Those poor boys, my lord i feel so bad for them. It's bad enough the media is taking the pictures but please please stop with the stupid questions, like "How do you feel???".

 

[SuziQ]

Earlier I posted that it would be unusual to call Ski Patrol for an insignificant fall and that people fall all the time. And now we hear that an ambulance was called as well? IMO, the fall was worse than it's been reported.

http://www.tmz.com/2009/03/19/first-ambulance-call-to-richardson-aborted/

The first paramedics who responded to Natasha Richardson were turned away, presumably because the actress felt fine at the time ... which raises the question -- was the fall more serious than initially reported?

According to The Globe and Mail newspaper, the paramedics were called by the ski patrol but were called away -- "They never saw the patient ... so they turned around."

The newspaper quotes medical experts who say when there's bleeding in the brain, time is of the essence. Approximately an hour later, when Richardson began to feel bad, an ambulance was called to her hotel.

But here's the question. Why would the ski patrol call an ambulance for an innocuous fall? People fall all the time. You have to wonder if the fall was more than just a minor incident.

Richardson passed away last night. She was 45.

 

[RhythmicSun]

But here's the question. Why would the ski patrol call an ambulance for an innocuous fall? People fall all the time. You have to wonder if the fall was more than just a minor incident.

<snipped>

RIP Natasha, and prays for the family and close friends...

News reports mentioned it is standard required procedure to bring someone down from the mountain when they fall. It would seem that resort will now require helmets, though medical experts are saying even that doesn't always prevent injury.

 

[SuziQ]

<snipped>

RIP Natasha, and prays for the family and close friends...

News reports mentioned it is standard required procedure to bring someone down from the mountain when they fall. It would seem that resort will now require helmets, though medical experts are saying even that doesn't always prevent injury.

The thing is though, alot of people fall and fall hard when they are on the slopes...alot. There would be no way for ski patrol to respond to every single fall. They would respond to a serious fall, the resort is playing down that it was serious at all. But they call ski patrol and an ambulance? That just isn't done for every fall, it would be impossible to do so. My experience is that ski patrol comes in if the person was knocked out or took a very serious end over end tumble. I'm not saying the resort did anything wrong, especially since Natasha signed a release. The resorts statements are not matching up. Afraid of bad PR and a lawsuit maybe?

 

[SuziQ]

http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Movies/03/19/richardson.paramedics/index.html

(snip)
Coderre did not say who sent the ambulance away. Efforts by CNN to reach Coderre have been unsuccessful.
A resort spokeswoman said a statement was being prepared in response to the latest report.

 

[Penelope]

I am assuming that she must have hit her head in the fall. You would think that the ski resort's standard proceedure -- if she was not wearing a helmet and did hit her head in a fall-- would be to insist she be taken to a hospital. If such a thing had happened to me, I would have listened and done what they wanted (go to a hospital) if I had known that these types of injuries can happen and that "you may feel fine right now, but it's necessary to get a brain scan as soon as possible to make sure there's no damage or bleeding."

 

[SuziQ]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/20/health/20braincnd.html?_r=1&hp

(snip)
A spokeswoman for the ski resort, Mont Tremblant, said Ms. Richardson fell on soft snow, did not appear to have hit her head, did not lose consciousness and joked about falling. But she immediately quit skiing and returned to her hotel room, accompanied by her instructor and a member of the ski patrol. It is not clear whether she needed their help. The spokeswoman said that the ski patroller advised Ms. Richardson to see a doctor, but that she declined to do so. The reason for that advice is not known. But people who take minor spills on ski slopes are not usually urged to see a doctor unless they are showing some sign of an injury.

 

[Trino]

I am assuming that she must have hit her head in the fall. You would think that the ski resort's standard proceedure -- if she was not wearing a helmet and did hit her head in a fall-- would be to insist she be taken to a hospital. If such a thing had happened to me, I would have listened and done what they wanted (go to a hospital) if I had known that these types of injuries can happen and that "you may feel fine right now, but it's necessary to get a brain scan as soon as possible to make sure there's no damage or bleeding."

It sounds like the ski patrol did encourage her to go to the hospital. She was an adult and could not be made to go anywhere, despite someone insisting. The instructor even accompanied her to her hotel, which, to me, shows concern.

 

[bogeygal]

HLN reporting Medical Examiner in NY stated that Natasha died from "blunt impact to her head"

ETA: NY news reporting she died from a "blow to the head"

 

[RayStar]

SuziQ maybe the instructor thought of her celebrity status. I hope this accident will encourage others to wear helmets. This is just awful.

 

[bogeygal]

HLN reporting the autopsy results. Epidural Hematoma due to blunt force trama to the head.

 

[cinsbythesea]

HLN reporting the autopsy results. Epidural Hematoma due to blunt force trama to the head.

I'm confused- does this mean then that she would have had to have fallen hard? Or that she hit her head ON something?

 

[bogeygal]

I'm confused- does this mean then that she would have had to have fallen hard? Or that she hit her head ON something?

They haven't given any details yet about the fall Natasha took. My guess would be that when she fell, her head hit the ground pretty hard for her to have sustained such an injury. One witness that was on TV news (a young man), was interviewed and did say that he only saw one ski pole in her hand). Not to know if his statement to the press should be believed, but it could indicate she lost her balance and fell sideways, hitting her head. That's just my own opinion

ETA: To answer your question, different stations saying injury or trauma. Either way it sadly lead to her death. RIP Natasha

 

[cinsbythesea]

I'm wondering if maybe the ski lodge wasn't exactly honest about the nature of her fall. The reports I saw said she didn't hit a tree, a rock, nothing, and that she fell onto soft powdery snow. I don't know how that would end up with a diagnosis of blunt force trauma. Something's not adding up here for me..

 

[Trino]

I'm wondering if maybe the ski lodge wasn't exactly honest about the nature of her fall. The reports I saw said she didn't hit a tree, a rock, nothing, and that she fell onto soft powdery snow. I don't know how that would end up with a diagnosis of blunt force trauma. Something's not adding up here for me..

It's very possible that she already had a problem. For example, she could have had a weak vein, etc. in the place she hit her head. This would be a double whammy.

 

[bogeygal]

I'm wondering if maybe the ski lodge wasn't exactly honest about the nature of her fall. The reports I saw said she didn't hit a tree, a rock, nothing, and that she fell onto soft powdery snow. I don't know how that would end up with a diagnosis of blunt force trauma. Something's not adding up here for me..

You're right about the above. She didn't hit a tree, another person, etc.

I did read about skiing accidents and head injuries yesterday. Several articles mentioned that some injuries could be worse than others on the slope, depending upon the velocity/speed a person is traveling when they have an accident or mishap/fall. I know she was on the beginner's slope, so I don't think speed would be a factor, plus her instructor was there. When the articles mentioned velocity, it was regarding if someone's head was impacted by a fall, that the brain would shift inside the skull causing the damage. I don't know, just as confused as you! Maybe we will get answers from tonights TV news shows from experts.