Stars pay tribute to Natasha -- 'a beautiful person and loyal friend'
Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick
Sunday March 22 2009
Tributes have poured in from the Irish friends of actor Liam Neeson this weekend as he prepares to lay his wife to rest.
A host of stars have paid homage to the "wonderful" actress Natasha Richardson who died tragically in a skiing accident last week.
Among those who have offered their condolences is the singer Mary Coughlan who described how Ms Richardson was there for her in her hour of need.
The jazz musician spoke fondly of a memorable moment that was shared between the two when the Irish entertainer unexpectedly went into labour.
"I was at the premier of the Michael Collins movie when I went into labour with my son, Cian," she explained.
"Natasha was in the bathroom with me asking me how far apart my contractions were. She was timing them and after a while she said 'I think you need to get yourself to a hospital'. And I had him that night."
The 45-year-old actress passed away on March 18 after suffering a traumatic brain injury while learning to ski in Montreal, Canada.
The Tony-winning actress suffered from an epidural hematoma, which causes bleeding between the skull and the brain's covering.
Early reports said the first ambulance dispatched to Ms Richardson was turned away, a decision that may have led to her death.
Describing the tragic actress as a "beautiful person", Ms Coughlan said she has known Neeson for years -- saying he and Natasha "were a gorgeous couple".
Meanwhile, Garrett Kelleher of Shelbourne Development, who worked with the couple on the Chicago Spire project offered his heartfelt condolences.
In a statement released on behalf of his company, a spokesperson said: "Garrett and the team in Shelbourne Development are devastated to hear the news and send their condolences to Liam and his family.
"Natasha was a true professional and a wonderful person to work with and she will be sadly missed by everyone who knew her.''
In Britain, acting greats also paid their respects. Judi Dench, who co-starred with Richardson in a 1987 TV production of Ibsen's Ghost, recalled her friend's "incredibly luminous quality that you seldom see", saying: "I thought she was a really great actress and seemed to simply shine in both film and theatre."
Ralph Fiennes, 46, a long-time friend of the actress who worked with her in 2001's Maid in Manhattan said:
"For everyone who knew and loved her, Natasha's death is a terrible, devastating loss. She was a star. A great actress, a beautiful woman, a fiercely loyal friend, a brilliant and generous companion."
Neeson, who has two children by Natasha -- Micheal, 13, and Daniel, 12 -- is said to be devastated by the loss.
On Friday, he fought back tears as he arrived on Broadway just 24 hours after Natasha's life support machine was turned off. Sarah Jessica Parker hugged him as he visited a theatre to see the dimming of the Broadway lights in tribute to her.
Yesterday an array of stars including Uma Thurman, Matthew Broderick, Ethan Hawke, Diane Sawyer, Matthew Modine, and Sarah Jessica Parker, joined the grieving husband at a private wake in New York to offer their condolences.
The Hollywood actress will be buried near her Millbrook Dutchess County home in New York in a private ceremony today.
Meanwhile, it has since emerged that Natasha may have died because of a four-hour delay in getting medical help. She had declined to wear a €6 safety helmet on the slope where she had her fall.
New findings have also called into question reports that she initially laughed off her injuries and waited an hour before getting help because of headaches.
Ambulance dispatch records show it was four hours before she reached hospital -- three hours longer than first thought. The first paramedics to arrive at the scene also insist they saw her sitting on a stretcher not walking around and laughing as first reported.
See Pages 22,23 and obituary Page 35
- NIAMH HORAN
