Even in death, actress Natasha Richardson continues to be a class act. A new report in People magazine says that the family of the actress asked that her organs be donated to others in need- an act that, according to friends, was “very Natasha.”
As the loved ones of Natasha Richardson continue to mourn, a family decision made in the wake of the Tony-winning actress’s sudden death March 18 has brought a measure of comfort: After Richardson was taken off life support at Manhattan’s Lenox Hill Hospital, her family requested that her organs be donated to other patients whose lives they might save.
Organ donation “is very Natasha,” a family friend says in the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday. “She spent so much time fighting the stigma of AIDS; someone like that would naturally donate her organs. At least by donating her organs something good could come out of [the tragedy].”
Richardson, 45, died after falling during a ski lesson at a Canadian resort on March 16. An autopsy performed in New York City showed that a blow to her head had caused a fatal epidural hematoma, bleeding between her brain and her skull.
‘Liam Doing Okay‘
In the days since Richardson’s death, her husband of 14 years, actor Liam Neeson, 56, and the couple’s sons Micheal, 13, and Daniel, 12, have shown remarkable public poise in dealing with the tragedy. “Liam is doing okay,” says family friend Blaine Trump. “It takes a while to absorb this. But he says the family needs to move forward. They will take it one step at a time.”The Irish actor was expected to return to work on the Toronto set of his upcoming drama Chloe, and the boys were headed back to school. “With good friends by their side,” says Trump, “they will get through the tough days ahead.”
It’s quite easy to become an organ donor- in most states, you can fill out the authorization form when you get your driver’s license renewed- and it’s a wonderful way to help others who are on waiting lists for much needed transplants after you’re gone. Currently, there are more than 100,00 patients in the U.S. awaiting urgently-needed organ transplants. It’s such a great thing that some kind of positive story could come out of such a senseless tragedy.
As for Natasha’s family, all I can say, after experience a sudden loss of my own recently, is that you have to take it one day at a time, and don’t let anyone else tell you how you should be grieving right now. Everyone has a different way to cope. Also, not everyone is going to have the same timetable for their grief. Each family member needs to be free to process this on their own terms. And don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it.
Out of respect for the family, we have chosen not to publish any paparazzi photos of people paying their respects at this difficult time. Photo credits: WENN.com
it is a measure of this private family’s quality that they revealed such personal news. sharing that natasha was an organ donor will likely influence others to make a similar decision and therefore save other people’s lives.
like you said MSat, a very classy family. thanks for not publishing the pictures.
Of course she was. I love this woman.
The good ones are always the first to go. This lady had class and everything going for her, why did this have to happen to her? RIP and thank you for your generosity.
I hope it encourages others to become donors.
I hope this inspires people to become an organ donor, knowing she’ll live on in people that wouldn’t of is very touching. She was such a great lady.
The People article makes it sound like it was the family’s decision to donate Natasha’s organs, but that can’t be right. She must have chosen to be a donor at some previous time, because only you have the legal right to donate your own organs. That’s why you have to sign up for it in advance, because when the time comes, you won’t be able to make that decision.
People must grieve on their own time, in their own way. People who urge you to “move forward” a week after such a shock aren’t being helpful.
I still think it should be an opt-out rather than an opt-in re organ donation – ie. eveyone’s automatically a donor, unless they’ve officially opted out. No one needs their organs after they die.
Kudos to Natasha, as classy and genuine in death as she was in life.
i’m not a doctor or pathologist, but how does one manage to donate organs if an autopsy was done?
@ EternalCanada
As they are taking the person off of life support, the choice is made what to do and when. In order to harvest the donations, they need to be in a certain condition and timing is everything.
An autopsy is performed after all signs of life are gone. During that time, the organs are removed, examined, and any pathologies or issues are noted. It is possible to do both for sure.
IMHO, organ donation is a lovely idea, but not always best for the patient. After receiving the organ, the recipiant’s immune system is totally supressed so that the new organ is not rejected. This weakening of the defense system then sets up the patient for further illness down the line. Your body knows the organ isn’t yours and wants to reject the foreign cells, a constant battle. This is why stem cell research is so important, we need a better way to replace damaged organs that won’t kill us.
I’ve always been in awe of Natasha, but this just elevated her even more. It’s such a shame to lose such a revered and respected woman in the prime of her life in such a horrific way.
My heart, thoughts and prayers go out to her family and friends, and to those who Natasha sought to give new life to.
That’s wonderful. I’m an organ donor too, have been since I was 18.
btw, my user name is eternalcanadian. i don’t know why it gets chopped off and people call me eternalcanada. there wasn’t a word limit when i put it in the gravator registry. 🙁
oh, for_realz, thanks for the explanation, yeah i did wonder about that as i thought autopsies took some time and the organs wouldn’t be viable, etc.
She always looks so brilliant, so vibrant, and so happy in these pictures. And so in love. She’s an inspiration. Clearly a life well lived, albeit terribly too short.
I am an RN and in the state I live in, the family makes the final decision on organ donation. You can show your preference on your drivers license but the family makes the decision if you cannot make it for yourself. So the article is probably correct that the family decide to do this likely based on knowledge that it would be something she wanted to do.
No surprise this family continues to behave with kindness and generosity.
H – agreed. I’m also an RN, and I work in an ICU where we frequently do organ “harvesting” (gross name, but it is what it is)
PJ – Not only does your family decide if you donate your organs, they also decide if you don’t – even if you would have wanted them to. That’s why it is SO, SO important to discuss your wishes with your loved ones – whether it be organ donation, or your wishes on ventilators, life support, etc. You can have it all written out, but in no way are we medical professionals legally bound to follow your wishes. (Unless it is a “code status” change, but family can reverse that too) You must choose a good, reliable person to make those choices for you once you’re too incapacitated to do so yourself.
That being said, I’m really glad they chose donation. Not only did Natasha save lives with this, but she’s raising awareness about donation. It’s a wonderful gift, but most definitely a very personal choice.
MSAT & Celebitchy: Thank you for not printing funeral photos. I don’t need to see them and I’m happy to not create a market for that. MSAT: So sorry about your loss.
Can this story get any sadder? I’m sorry about your loss, too, MSAT. You give very good advice, and I hope you are taking it yourself. I wish you peace and comfort at this difficult time.