Text written by: José Ortega
Liam Neeson had to make a life or death decision regarding his wife, and nothing was ever the same since. Neeson had to turn off his wife’s life support as part of a pact they had made. They had made a promise that if one of them ever fell into a vegetative state, the other one would turn off their life support.
Then, in 2009, tragedy struck. Neeson was filming Chloe and his wife, Natasha Richardson was skiing, when he got a call from his wife saying she had had a small accident, nothing to worry about, not knowing that it would be the last time he heard her voice. A couple of hours later, she was taken to a Montreal hospital by ambulance. Neeson arrived soon later, but the doctors didn’t tell him much, and he couldn’t use his phone.
But then, a nurse recognized him and told him where his wife was.
“I was so grateful — for the first time in I don’t know how long — to be recognized. And all these young doctors, who look all of 18 years of age, they tell me the worst. … the worst.”
Natasha had had a strokeand had been declared brain dead. Liam sat by her and told her he loved her without knowing whether she could hear him.
He told her he’d taker to New York, so their friends and family could say goodbye. Neeson later fell into a depression and alcoholism, while caring for his two sons. He has since stopped smoking and drinking and visits his wife’s gravesite two or three times a week just to talk to her and feel closer to her.
There’s something so raw and sad about his story, but is beautiful that he pays homage to her in all the movies he has done. She will live in his heart and soul forever.
