Natasha Richardson Has Died
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| Wed, 03-18-2009 - 8:20pm |
It was a fall with a bump on the head, and she appeared fine immediately after. Unfortunately, that was not the case. Her family has released the news that she has died.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Movies/03/18/obit.richardson/index.html
Natasha Richardson dies after ski fall
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Natasha Richardson, a film star, Tony-winning stage actress and member of the famed Redgrave acting family, died Wednesday after suffering injuries in a ski accident, according to a family statement. She was 45.

Richardson had two sons with husband Liam Neeson.
Richardson, wife of actor Liam Neeson, was injured Monday in a fall on a ski slope at a Quebec resort about 80 miles northwest of Montreal.
Richardson's family released a statement saying, "Liam Neeson, his sons, and the entire family are shocked and devastated by the tragic death of their beloved Natasha. They are profoundly grateful for the support, love and prayers of everyone, and ask for privacy during this very difficult time.">>>full article at the link above

Opal

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The BBC Obituary
Richardson Died From Clot That Compressed Brain
>"The bleeding that led to the clot was caused by "blunt impact to the head," according to the official report, which also labeled the death an accident.
The formal name for the condition is "epidural hematoma." It is usually the result of bleeding from arteries torn when the skull is struck hard, often on the temple where the bone is thinnest.
Arterial hemorrhage inside the skull is a potential catastrophe. Each heartbeat pumps blood under high pressure into a confined space, compressing the brain tissue.
"It is the most feared, treatable problem in neurosurgery," said Gail Rosseau, chief of surgery at the Neurologic and Orthopedic Hospital of Chicago. "These are the patients who 'talk and die.' "
If the condition is recognized in time, a surgeon can drill a hole through the skull or cut away a piece of it, remove the clot and relieve the pressure. This often results in complete recovery.
Although many details of Richardson's accident have not been made public, she apparently demonstrated a "lucid interval" typical of many traumatic epidural hematomas -- a period soon after the impact when the victim is alert and feels well that is followed by a rapid decline into unconsciousness."<
>"In the 2007-2008 ski season, 44 people were killed skiing and nine snowboarding in the United States. There were about 10,000 head injuries, according to the National Ski Areas Association.
Forty-three percent of U.S. skiers and boarders wear helmets, up from 25 percent in the 2002-2003 season. Helmets are worn by 70 percent of children younger than 9, but 32 percent of people ages 18 to 24.
Twenty-six percent of beginners wear helmets, compared with 55 percent of advanced skiers and riders, according to the association's statistics."<
Complete article...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/19/AR2009031902515_2.html?nav=hcmodule&sid=ST2009031803239
I havent seen anything reported about what she actually hit her head on - what object struck her in the head.
She was skiing on the beginner's slope - which means it should have been pretty open - wide slopes with little to no rocks or steepness.
A few of my skier friends and I were wondering what could have happened on a beginner slope that could cause that kind of injury. You can't easily fall forward or backward on skis. A snowboard would be different. No one hit her (I have a couple of friends who did get concussions when they were hit by another skier/snowboarder) and she apparently didn't hit anything.
Kate
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She hit her head on the ground.
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