Liam Neeson’s wife was fatally injured in an accident, and in the end, he had to pull the plug on her life support system. He buried her near his home and goes to her grave to visit every day. Life for the actor without her is hard, but he continues to move forward while raising his two boys.
Liam Neeson’s late wife, actress Natasha Richardson passed away in 2009 when she took a nasty fall on a ski slope at the Mont-Tremblant resort in Quebec. According to resort officials, she fell on a beginner’s trail.
Reports say that medics got to the hill 17 minutes after the incident; however, Richardson turned down help, claiming she was fine. This made ambulance staff leave, relinquishing the actress into the care of the resort’s on-site clinic.
Liam Neeson and Natasha Richardson during A Streetcar Named Desire on Broadway – Curtain Call and After Party at Roundabout Theater at Studio 54 in New York in 2005. | Source: Getty Images
Almost four hours later, another 911 call was made from Richardson’s hotel room; her condition had worsened, but she was conscious, and they could still communicate with her even though she was a bit unstable.
An ambulance arrived nine minutes after the 911 call went out, and she soon reached a hospital. There they discovered that she was suffering from an epidural hematoma, a condition that “causes bleeding between the skull and the brain’s covering.”
This bleeding is usually caused by a fracture on the skull. According to the experts, this can produce a blood clot that applies pressure on the brain. This will force the brain to move downward, in turn applying pressure on the brain stem, which is in charge of breathing and other important processes.
Actor Liam Neeson and Natasha Richardson at the UK Premiere of The Chronicles of Narnia – Prince Caspian at the O2 Dome in North Greenwich on June 19, 2008 in London, England. | Source: Getty Images
People like Richardson who suffer from this injury usually feel okay immediately after because the bleeding symptoms take some time to set in. Nevertheless, experts say the condition would be treatable if the problem had been identified and the victim was moved to a hospital as quickly as possible.
When Neeson, who was filming in Toronto at the time, learned of what had happened, he rushed to the hospital where his wife was. Unfortunately, they refused to let him see her because nobody in the hospital recognized him. He said:
“I walked into the emergency (room) – it’s like 70, 80 people, broken arms, black eyes, all that – and for the first time in years, nobody recognizes me. Not the nurses. The patients. No one. I’ve come all this way, and they won’t let me see her.”
Liam Neeson with his actress wife Natasha Richardson during the British premiere of his latest film, “The Other Man”, in London’s Leicester Square in 2008. | Source: Getty Images
Neeson stepped out, thinking of what to do when he found a nurse who recognized him. She gave him directions to where his wife was, but all he met was his wife, a team of doctors, and a lot of bad news.
He changed his last name to Richardson in honor of his late mom, and Neeson was all for it.
Actress Natasha Richardson and actor Liam Neeson at the opening of “A Streetcar Named Desire” on April 26, 2005 in New York. | Source: Getty Images
They told him Richardson was brain-dead, and Neeson realized she was approaching her final moments. All he could do was have some last words with her and carry out an oath they had previously shared. He said:
“She and I had made a pact. If any of us got into a vegetative state that we’d pull the plug. You know? So when I saw her and saw all these tubes and stuff, that was my immediate thought. Was, ‘Okay, these tubes have to go. She’s gone.’”
After the final conversation, which was sadly one-way, Neeson allowed the doctors to take her off life support. It was a decision that forever changed the course of his life.
Natasha Richardson and actor Liam Neeson attend the American Ireland Fund’s 33rd Annual New York Gala Fundraiser at The Tent at Lincoln Center on May 8, 2008. | Source: Getty Images
After her passing, Liam Neeson chose to keep to himself in mourning, staying low-key and avoiding the media. He made no statements about what happened, but in 2016, he paid tribute to her. Neeson talked about how he lost her unexpectedly and how it was the hardest thing. Neeson shared:
“Those 16 years of being her husband taught me how to love unconditionally. We have to stop and be thankful for our spouses. Because, one day, when you look up from your phone, they won’t be there anymore.”
Talks to His Wife at Her Grave Every Day
Liam Neeson buried his wife of 16 years one mile and a half from his home in upstate New York, and he has admitted that he goes there often to speak to her like she still lives.
According to the “Taken” star, she does not exactly make for a great conversationalist as she never answers him, but he still does it anyway.
He also says he converses with the spirits of some other deceased actors. He has moved on with life, but he kept her memory alive in ways like that while he raised their two boys, Micheál and Daniel.
Raising Two Handsome Sons
Neeson learned many things from his wife while she lived, including how to love unconditionally. She also gave him many things, including two boys, one of whom inherited their acting genes and has starred in some movies.
Liam Neeson (L ) and Michael Neeson at the Maison Mais Non launch party as Micheal Neeson launches fashion gallery in Soho on June 2, 2015. | Source: Getty Images
One of those movie credits includes a film titled “Made In Italy.” He acted alongside his father to make it a success. It was centered on the lives of a bereaved father-son duo and their attempt to deal with the sudden demise of their family’s matriarch.
The roles mirror what happened to Neeson and his son, but rather than piss him off; it challenged him, so he worked hard on it with his son. The actor enjoys being a father even though he says it is a “joyful worry.”
At the time of their mom’s demise, Micheál and Daniel were only teenagers; however, they have matured gracefully while keeping her memory alive and making her proud.
Micheál is an accomplished actor who made his debut as an actor in “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues.” In 2018, he changed his last name to Richardson in honor of his late mom, and Neeson was all for it.
Liam Neeson and his sons Daniel Neeson, and Micheal Neeson attend New York Rangers Vs. Boston Bruins game at Madison Square Garden on March 23, 2016. | Source: Getty Images
Besides changing names, the young actor has confessed that he sometimes turns to her movies when he wants to see her. His brother, Daniel, is also an aspiring actor who studied at Tulane University. He has an eco-friendly clothing line named Pine Outfitters which he created in 2017.
Both boys have a great relationship with their father. The trio has been pictured on public outings, including an ice hockey game. Neeson has said he will always see his boys as kids and that he will always be a prisoner to the love he has for them. A true father in every sense.