Multiple Reports that Natasha Richardson is brain dead from ski accident

[FourScore]

Hours after reports that Natasha Richardson suffered a serious brain injury while skiing, Time Out New York, Fox News and the NY Post claim that she is brain dead, which TMZ refutes.

Richardson is currently en route to New York from Canada via private jet, her second hospital transfer in 24 hours. The flight has been confirmed by the AP and a hospital spokesman.

Fox claims she is coming home to then be taken off life support and allowed to die:

Sources close to Tony-award winning actress Natasha Richardson tell FOXNews.com that the 45-year-old actress is brain dead, and being transported back to New York City before she is to be taken off life support.

They had no official confirmation, but at 12:39 TONY wrote that she is brain dead, although alive:

Although public reports have not yet confirmed it, sources close to Richardson's family and friends say they have already been told the awful news: She will not survive the accident, and is currently brain dead.

The NY Post reports:

Actress Natasha Richardson is brain dead, after falling in a ski accident in Canada, friends told The Post today.

The TONY updated their story at 1:58 with a clarification about their initial RIP headline, seen below:

TONY's sources have clarified the situation: Richardson is brain dead but has not passed away. Sources close to the family indicate that they are treating it as a death. We will update you on this sad story as circumstances warrant. We apologize to the family and to our readers.

TMZ, however, hears differently:

The hospital tells TMZ Richardson is sedated and suffering from brain swelling -- but is not brain dead.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/17/natasha-richardson-brain_n_175764.html

[LSparkle]

1. This story completely saddens and scares me ...

She apparently walked away from the accident, returned to
her room, was talking to people and seemed aware of her
surroundings ... and then, hours later, brain swelling
and potential death.

There but for the grace of God ... My thoughts and prayers
are with her legendary family and especially Liam Neeson
and their sons. Just a horribly sad situation ...

[hlthe2b]

2. There are several possibilities....

Since no one has described a fall that directly impacted her head, but simply said she fell it is really unclear.

It is possible the fall was coincidental and that she experienced a massive stroke, or a bleeding aneurysm. These kind of scenarios might be unavoidable for someone predisposed, yet be quickly realized after a bout of physical activity at altitude in someone coming from sea level. So, did the fall cause the brain trauma or did systemic symptoms/brain trauma cause the fall.....?

Very sad, though. I wish all well.

[Old and In the Way]

15. Sounds to me like she had an underlying condition.

Falling on a beginner's slope is not likely to cause the problem. She may have had a pre-existing condition, like a weak vessel/artery in her brain and that fall could have caused it to rupture.

[CTyankee]

I remember her for just a few screen roles but I so vividly remember Sir Ralph, her father.

These British stage "royal families" are so wonderful. I love watching them work so much, it is such a pleasure...

I am very saddened.

[CTyankee]

10. I remember her for just a few screen roles but I so vividly remember Sir Ralph, her father.

These British stage "royal families" are so wonderful. I love watching them work so much, it is such a pleasure...

I am very saddened.

[muriel_volestrangler]

20. No relation at all to Sir Ralph, but she is part of a 'dynasty'

Grand-parents: Sir Michael Redgrave and Rachel Kempson (she not so famous, but he was very well-known - acting knighthoods were pretty rare in his day)
parents Vanessa Redgrave and Tony Richardson (he no relation to Sir Ralph - Oscar-winning director)
sister Joely Richardson (was married to Tim Bevan, an Oscar-nominated producer, but I hadn't heard of him)
Uncle Corin Redgrave, married to Kika Markham
Cousin Jemma Redgrave, daughter of Corin
Aunt Lynn Redgrave

[CTyankee]

25. Thanks. I had her tangled up with Sir Ralph. But a lovely family tree nonetheless.

And, of course, she is part of British stage royalty due to the Redgraves. I guess that was what had me confused...

[Taverner]

3. Horrible - I wonder if its that kind of injury where the wound bleeds out slowly

But after enough pressure is there, the brain dies.

[GoesTo11]

22. Talk and die syndrome according to Fox news

Yes, they really called it that. Basically what you said in terms of how it works.

[chatnoir]

31. Doctor: Natasha Richardson May Have Suffered 'Talk and Die' Syndrome

Doctor: Natasha Richardson May Have Suffered 'Talk and Die' Syndrome

Tuesday , March 17, 2009
By Karlie Pouliot

How can a person be fine one minute and brain dead the next?

Natasha Richardson was reported to be "fine at first" after she hit her head in a skiing accident, but the 45-year-old actress' health began to deteriorate within an hour.

Now sources close to the Tony award-winning actress say she is brain dead and being flown back to New York, where she will be taken off life support.

“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," he told FOXNews.com. "But then they get a rapid collection of blood — usually called epidural hemorrhage — and that means bleeding between the skull and the brain.”

Richardson was reportedly in serious condition with a head injury after falling on a beginner's trail during a ski lesson at the Mont Tremblant ski resort in Quebec, Canada.

"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," the resort said in a statement.

Mont Tremblant spokeswoman Catherine Lacasse said Richardson was getting a private lesson and that she said she was "fine at first."

"An hour later she said she didn't feel well. She had a headache, so we sent her to the hospital," Lacasse said. "There were no signs of impact and no blood, nothing."

Flanagan, who has not treated Richardson, said a person doesn't always show outward signs of trauma when suffering a head injury.

“When someone has bleeding between the skull and the brain, it basically presses on the brain, and if it presses enough… it can cause substantial damage and even death,” Flanagan told FOXNews.com.

“And presumably that’s what probably happened to her — but again, we’re speculating.”

Symptoms of an epidural hemorrhage include:

— Headache;

— Loss of consciousness;

— Weakness on one side of the body;

— A change in mental status

If the condition is not treated immediately, the person will fall into a coma and “it’s downhill from there,” Flanagan said.

“So you need to get the injury treated immediately,” he said.

“First we would do an emergency CAT scan to find out exactly where the hemorrhage is, and then the patient would need immediate surgery.”

While Flanagan said he doesn’t know exactly what kind of injury Richardson sustained, he said it would have to be a substantial blow to the head.

“If you bumped your head getting out of the car, this wouldn’t happen to you,” he said. “It would have to be a significant injury.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,509586,00.html

[Bonobo]

32. My close friend died of this. He was just 32.

He fell down stairs. Complained of headache later... :(

[chatnoir]

40. Omg, how tragic... I'm so sorry.

My heart goes out to you and your friend's family. :( :hug:

[MannyGoldstein]

4. Very, Very Sad

Seems unlikely that they'd jet someone around with serious brain swelling if she has a reasonable chance to recover. I guess we'll see.

[VermeerLives]

This is such a tragedy

My thoughts and prayers are with her family, especially her children.

[poverlay]

5. Oh I hope she's ok. She's such a vibrant lady, and a real joy to watch on the bigscreen...n/t

[Bumblebee]

6. Multiple?

Since when -- and especially for the HP -- the NY Post and Fox News are "multiple" sources? It's all the same owner, the same source. Things may indeed be bad but both the Post and Fox News probably cannot wait for her to die because she is Vanessa's daughter. Hope she proves them all wrong!

[northernlights]

7. her family is to make a statement tomorrow (Wednesday)

per abc. It seems very unlikely they'd be flying her around like this with a severe brain injury if they thought she could recover.

http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/Movies/story?id=7099995&page=1

[Bumblebee]

12. you are probably right but if TMZ is accurate

http://www.tmz.com/2009/03/17/natasha-richardson-flown-to-new-hospital/

she may be heavily sedated and in an induced coma, in which case they would want her in a NY hospital where they can all visit her since that's where the family lives.

[Ilsa]

8. My heart aches for them. I hope she can

recover. It seems premature to report that she has suffered brain death.

Let us all hope for the best.

[Arugula Latte]

9. I think she has relatively young children.

:(

[Bumblebee]

13. Two boys, 12 and 13

[Arugula Latte]

17. I've got a 12-year-old son myself.

What a reminder of how quickly things can change.

[soothsayer]

11. Some reports say no, just moving her to a NYC hospital for treatment

Here's hoping!

[Lost in CT]

14. Why wouldn't they treat her in Canada?

I'm not trying to start a debate about universal healthcare ect but New York does not have better trauma care than Canada...

[Bumblebee]

16. I think so that they can be there with her without interrupting the boys' life

too much. This is from SKY news, apparently, no link since I found it on the TMZ site:

Natasha Richardson, with husband Liam Neeson, has now left Canada

It comes as internet reports this evening have suggested she is brain dead.

But Sky's Matt Smith said: "We understand her condition is stable although there are rumours circulating on the internet that it may be more serious than is being reported.

"I've spoken to her agent who has given a firm 'no comment' on that. They don't want to update the press at this stage."

Richardson has now left the hospital in Montreal, Canada, where she was in intensive care, and has been flown via private jet to New York, reports said.

"She was transferred at the request of the family," said Josee-Michelle Simard, a spokeswoman for Sacre-Coeur hospital in Montreal.

link added:

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Natasha-Richardson-Skiing-Accident-British-Actress-Transferred-To-US-After-Fall-Near-Quebec/Article/200903315242832?lpos=World_News_Right_Promo_Region_1&lid=ARTICLE_15242832_Natasha_Richardson_Skiing_Accident%3A_British_Actress_Transferred_To_US_After_Fall_Near_Quebec

[Lost in CT]

18. Sounds like a hospice situation to me... I just don't see flying someone in that

condition if it can be avoided... but I am not a doctor perhaps they can chime in.

[MrPerson]

19. She was taking private lessons. She was a beginner.

[FLyellowdog]

21. I'm so sorry for her family...so sad. n/t

[Bumblebee]

23. Now, alas, the NY Daily News is also reporting she is brain dead

http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2009/03/17/2009-03-17_actress_natasha_richardson_who_suffered_.html

[Raine]

24. Awful

what sad news. :-(

[Canuckistanian]

26. Canadian media said she was relatively OK after the accident

They said she was conscious, talking and she wanted to go back to her hotel room.

She went back to the hotel and then later she was rushed to the hospital.

I'm guessing she had massive brain swelling from a concussion that wasn't caught in time.

Whoever gave her first aid made a crucial mistake.

[LisaL]

28. I remember one time I was sitting on the railing. I fell back wards

and hit my head really hard. Nothing happened. It sounds like this was a minor fall, and not a collision, and since she seemed fine, nobody figured out something was seriously wrong.

[northernlights]

29. no they didn't

There were no outward signs of a problem until a mild headache became severe. They did everything by the book, but she refused to go to the hospital. They accompanied her back to her hotel room and stayed with her for an hour. It wasn't until her headache got severe that she agreed to let them call an ambulance.

It also was supposedly an easy spill onto soft snow, with no sign she hit her head on anything. As others have written, it's entirely possible she had an underlying problem such as an aneurism, that the fall caused to rupture.

[Canuckistanian]

36. That still doesn't negate my post

She was outwardly fine (but internally NOT).

The first responders (who were employees of the ski lodge) should have known better.

You do NOT let a head injury patient convince you that they're all right.

[mentalsolstice]

33. Actually, the ski instructors

got her down the hill quickly and advised her to go to the hospital immediately...but she said she felt fine. It sounds like one of the instructors accompanied her back to her hotel, just in case, and called for an ambulance when she said she didn't feel well.

eta: we've experienced this in out family with unfortunate outcomes.

[Canuckistanian]

34. They shouldn't have "advised", they should have acted

From what I remember about my first aid training, you get a head-injured patient to the hospital - no matter what. You let the doctors decide if the injury is serious or not.

And I'm surprised it wasn't standard procedure for someone learning without a helmet.

[LisaL]

39. How can you force an adult to go to a hospital unless

that adult wants to.

[JI7]

41. you can't force people to go if they don't want to , they did what they could

[Daxxie]

38. You can't make someone go to hospital

if they don't want to go, so they first responders hands were more or less tied....and even more so because she was conscious, talking and seemed to be in control of her faculties.

And having said that, yes, she should have gone anyway. I know from experience how quickly what seems to be just a bump on the head can go downhill fast.

[RFKHumphreyObama]

27. My deepest and sincerest thoughts and prayers are with the family

She was such a beautiful and talented actress. I can't even imagine what poor Liam Neeson and her kids must be going through:cry:

[ronnykmarshall]

30. I was an extra on film with her.

This was the film about Patty Hearst. I didn't get to talk to her but was so amazed watching her. God I hope she's ok.

[merh]

35. The story is now becoming how this is being reported -

How The Media Is Covering The Natasha Richardson Breaking News

HOLLYWOOD, Calif.

--

As the status of actress Natasha Richardson’s condition following a ski accident on Monday in Canada remains unconfirmed, several media outlets remain conflicted on how to report this breaking news situation.

The relatively unknown Web site IrishCentral.com was the first to report the news of her accident on Monday.

Later Monday evening, a rep for the film “Chloe,” which was being shot by Richardson’s husband, Liam Neeson, in Toronto, confirmed to Canadian Televsion that, in fact, Liam had left the set to be with his wife.

At around 1 PM ET Tuesday morning, Time Out New York published an article saying Richardson was dead, with the headline “RIP Natasha Richardson 1963 – 2009.” The story then got considerably more pick-up when popular gossip blog Perez Hilton picked up TONY’s report.

TONY’s site then crashed from the traffic to their story. When the site ended up back online, they said that they were, in fact, incorrect, and that Richardson was not dead, but rather “brain dead.”

“Time Out New York sincerely apologizes for the confusion,” they wrote. “We stand by our sources, and our friend of the family first confirmed ‘dead’ and then called back to say ‘brain dead.’ We find the situation incredibly tragic and obviously wish to only report the facts. We stand by our new statement that she is brain dead and not expected to survive. Unfortunately, the article was not taken down — our website crashed from traffic. Time Out New York regrets the error.”

Perez Hilton then posted a story based on TONY’s correction.

At 1:19 PM ET the New York Post’s Broadway columnist Michael Riedel corroborated TONY’s story that Richardson is, in fact, brain dead.

Late Tuesday afternoon, OK! sent out a press release reporting that Richardson has been taken off of life support and is now dead. OK! posted this story to their Web site, and then later removed it.

At Access Hollywood, we have not yet been able to confirm, at the time of publication of this article, the status of Natasha Richardson’s condition.

Richardson’s family is expected to release a statement on Wednesday, a spokesperson for the the Sacre-Coeur Hospital in Montreal told Canada’s CBC.

We have reached out to both her publicist, and Liam Neeson’s publicist; neither of who have any status updates as to how the family is doing.

Access will continue to keep you posted on the status of this story.

http://www.accesshollywood.com/how-the-media-is-covering-the-natasha-richardson-breaking-news_article_15692

[ronnykmarshall]

42. God I hate Perez Hilton.

I wish that fucker was the one brain dead.

[merh]

43. I can't stand the whole lot of them.

The reporting on this has been pathetic.

[ronnykmarshall]

44. It's been horrible.

These assholes get "tips" and run with it like it was written in stone.

[merh]

45. the desire to be the first to report trumps the desire for the truth

and/or human decency.

[Mrs. Overall]

37. delete (I had written that it was reported she had died, but apparently that is unconfirmed)