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• British theater, film and television actress Natasha Richardson died after being removed from life support on March 18, 2009, following a skiing accident in Canada. Richardson's autopsy report revealed that she died accidentally from an "epidural hematoma due to blunt impact to the head."TMZ: Cause of Death (March 19, 2009)

  On March 21, 2009, People learned that there was a four hour delay between the time Richardson fell and her first appearance at a local hospital. Neither the actress nor ski patrol personnel recognized that she had sustained significant trauma.People: Natasha Richardson: Tragic Delays After Her Fatal Fall(March 21, 2009)

  Richardson's funeral took place at St. Peter's Church in Millbrook, New York, on March 22, 2009. Following the ceremony, she was buried at a nearby cemetery in a plot close to her grandmother's, Rachel Redgrave.People: Natasha Richardson Is Laid to Rest Near Her Home (March 22, 2009) Five days after Richardson was laid to rest, The Globe and Mail released an audio timeline detailing the tragic events that took place on the day of her accident.Globe and Mail: The five-hour scramble to save Natasha Richardson (March 27, 2009)

• Fast Facts

  1. Reported date of death: March 18, 2009
  2. 45 years old at time of death
  3. Taking a ski lesson on beginner slope at the time
  4. Was not wearing a helmet
  5. Airport: Montreal-Trudeau Airport
  6. Canadian hospital: Sacre Coeur Hospital
  7. Wake held on March 20 in New York City
  8. Private funeral service held on March 22 in Milbrook, New York
  9. Religious affiliation: Catholic

• The Accident

  While her husband Liam Neeson was filming the movie Chloe in Toronto, Richardson and her sons vacationed at the Mont Tremblant resort. On March 16, 2009, Richardson was on a ski lesson on a beginner hill and took a spill. While she had no visible injuries at the time, she called an ambulance a few hours later with an intense headache. Richardson was rushed to the hospital and her husband flew to her side.

• Conflicting Reports

  On March 17, 2009, Time Out New York reported Natasha Richardson died from brain injuries suffered after a skiing accident in Canada the previous day.Perez Hilton: RIP (March 17, 2009) The article was immediately retracted. After reports of her death surfaced, celebrity gossip site TMZ reported that Richardson was alive and being rushed to another hospital for care.TMZ: Richardson flown to new hospital (March 17, 2009) Time Out later retracted their story and reported that Richardson was "technically brain dead" and that her expectations for survival were low.Defamer: Time Out Retracts (March 17, 2009)

  Later in the day, TMZ reported Richardson was taken by ambulance from her hospital in Montreal to the Montreal-Trudeau Airport. According to TMZ's coverage, Richardson was then flown to a new airport, where she was sedated and suffering from major brain swelling.TMZ: Richardson Flown to New Hospital (March 17, 2009) The New York Post reported later in the day that the flight was to transport Richardson to New York City so her mother Vanessa Redgrave could have a final moment with her daughter.The New York Post: Richardson is Brain Dead (March 17, 2009) Columnist Liz Smith revealed that Richardson had been taken off of life support on March 18, 2009.TMZ: Natasha Richardson -- Life Support Plug Pulled (March 18, 2009) Her family soon after confirmed her passing in a statement released to the press.TMZ: Nastasha Richardson Dead (March 18, 2009)

• Funeral and Memorials

  On March 20, 2009, friends and family gathered to grieve their loss during a Catholic wake held at the American Irish Historical Society in New York City. A private funeral took place on Sunday, March 22, in Milbrook, New York. Richardson was a member of the St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church.ABC News: Family, Friends Grieve ... (March 20, 2009)

• Related Pages on Mahalo

  Liam Neeson | Natasha Richardson | Natasha Richardson Skiing Accident | Patrick Swayze

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