My heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Natasha Richardson. What a terrible loss of a beautiful, talented, lovely lady.
I saw her and Liam Neeson a few years ago on the Upper East Side. They just radiated glamour and class. Everyone was staring at them because it was simply impossible not to. And they were very gracious and friendly to everyone who approached.
And yesterday everyone gathered around them for a different reason. I counted no less than 12 news vans outside of Lenox Hill. The hospital is right next to the subway, and it was so bizarre watching people go about their life while the press was somewhat ghoulishly waiting. I know it’s the media’s job, but the family inside were going through agony beyond imagination. I’m sure all the press waiting and watching was the last thing they needed.
I cannot fathom what it is like to lose your soulmate.
They were a golden couple, and should have had years to enjoy their lives. Natasha Richardson’s untimely death is just so horribly unfair. And wrong.
Mr. Neeson, you and your family are in my prayers. All the best to you to you during this agonizing time. I wish you and your loved ones peace.
I had certainly enjoyed the work of both Natasha and Liam Neeson. And I, too, send the best to Liam Neeson and their children — it’s obviously one of the most heart-rending of the possible traumas in life to lose a parent when you’re young. I must admit this one touched me significantly, more so than the average celebrity mishap.
It’s really hard to reconcile the incredibly arbitrary nature of what happened with a fundamental belief that the world is a good place. The chain of circumstances that led to her death had to be just right, in an incredibly improbable combination of events. First, the probability that she had a particular brain structure that was susceptible to an injury, then hitting her head at low speed at exactly the angle and impact needed to cause her injury, but not with enough force that she was rushed to the hospital where it could have been discovered in time. Everybody involved will second-guess the decisions they made at every moment, and will probably feel enormous amounts of crushing guilt. But there’s no way to expect reasonably intelligent normal people to be able to see the end of the chain of circumstance that would end so tragically as that chain of events unfolds.
My sister had a fairly similar brain injury when she was a teenager, but the rate of progression was glacially slow compared to what happened here. She ended up recovering fully, thankfully. What was interesting there was that the team of skilled doctors treating her over the three-week progression of the problem didn’t figure out what was happening until it was almost too late. So even the most skilled professionals in the best of facilities can sometimes get it wrong with brain injuries, even when the clock was ticking much more slowly than it did in Natasha Richardson’s tragic death.
To remain optimistic, one must remember that these narrow chains of circumstances that lead to tragedy on some occasions can also lead to triumphs in others. Captain Sully’s first-ever water landing of a jetliner (USAir 1549) in the Hudson River, saving the lives of all aboard, was indeed a testament to the skill of the flight crew, but also to the luck of hitting a very narrow window of opportunity. If the bird strike that brought down the plane had happened 15 seconds earlier, the plane would not have been able to make the river and would have crashed in the Bronx. 30 seconds later and they wouldn’t have been able to turn back into the river at their sink rate, crashing instead into a neighborhood in the New Jersey suburbs.
–HCFG
I felt really sad about this. Celebrities come and go, but I really was moved by Natasha Richardson’s death.
for some reason this really touched me as well – I found myself crying last night while watching Anderson Cooper’s coverage
also, it has certainly motivated me to buy a helmet …
I feel sad for her family. Her sons are much too young to lose their mother, and it’s just so sad that what seemed a no injury at first, was not the case here. I had to see my neurologist yesterday and he had some thoughts on this too. She could have had an undiagnosed aneurism and if her head hit or the swelling put pressure just right, it could have caused the headache, vomiting & other symptoms. Of course it could of been any number of things and without an autopsy or a prior pet scan history, there may be no way of knowing.
Lisa, I agree with all you said and you my dear are one classy lady.
p.s., HCFG… I’m so glad your sister is one of the lucky ones.
I remember I panicked when Liam Neeson crashed his Harley about ten years ago and was all “whew” when he turned out to be okay. I wanted the NY Post to be doomcryers about Ms. Richardson, and I’m pissed that they picked now to be right. Also, I enjoyed Ms. Richardson’s performance (opposite her mother, whose character died at the end) in Evening so much. I can’t imagine how heartbroken her family must be right now.
I felt especially bad for the children. I couldn’t imagine what it would be like for my kids should anything ever happen to the Wife or I.
it’s just so sad and tragic. My heart goes out to her whole family and her friends.
Truly a tragic loss. The whole notion of life isn’t fair springs to mind … but … then there are good things that happen just as unexpectedly.
Beautiful lady and the epitome of class. What a tragic loss.
I can’t say anything more than has already been said, except, “Yeah–what they said”.
What an enormous loss.
What an unfortunate way to go. It could have happened to anyone.
A very nice post, Lisa. I remember them meeting on the set of “Nell” unless I’m mistaken. I was on the recumbent bike in PT when I saw the big screen TV mounted on the ceiling with the news. I was quite shocked and saddened.
Are you coming back, sweetie?
I wouldn’t mind writing for the Press, but I would mind covering celebrity “news”. It’s ironic how the Press makes celebrities, then destroys them.
Is you gone or asleep?
Stopped by to say Hello, Lisa! Hope you are hapy and well!