Tony Award winner Natasha Richardson has passed away at the age of 45 after being removed from life support.
Family and friends, including mother Vanessa Redgrave and sister Joely Richardson, were gathered around the actress in a New York hospital. Richardson was hospitalized after a fall during a ski lesson on Monday in Montreal.
Richardson was hospitalized in Montreal before being airlifted to a New York hospital on Tuesday. Doctors said that blood was leaking between her brain and skull, according to People .
"Liam Neeson, his sons, and the entire family are shocked and devastated by the tragic death of their beloved Natasha," Neeson's rep, Alan Nierob, said in a statement. "They are profoundly grateful for the support, love, and prayers of everyone, and ask for privacy during this very difficult time."
Time Out: New York reported Tuesday that her family had learned from doctors that she was brain-dead, but several websites followed with reports that the announcement was premature.
Richardson is married to actor Liam Neeson and is the daughter of screen legend Vanessa Redgrave. The 45-year-old actress won a Tony Award for her role in the musical Cabaret in 1998, and has also starred in several films, including Patty Hearst and The Handmaid's Tale .
A tireless advocate for HIV/AIDS research and education, Richardson served as a trustee on the board of amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research. Her father, Academy Award-winning director Tony Richardson, died of AIDS-related complications in 1991.
