Liam Neeson on losing Natasha Richardson: 'I think I survived by running away'

As the two-year anniversary of Natasha Richardson's sudden death approaches, her widower, Liam Neeson, is opening up about the tragic events leading up to her passing and how he's handled his grief.

Speaking to Esquire, Neeson recalled the frightening moments in March 2009 after Richardson was admitted to a hospital for a head injury suffered while skiing.

"I walked into the emergency -- it's like 70, 80 people, broken arms, black eyes, all that -- and for the first time in years, nobody recognizes me," the actor said. "Not the nurses. The patients. No one. And I've come all this way, and they won't let me see her," he recalls.

Eventually two young nurses on a smoke break took mercy on Neeson and pointed him in the right direction. 

"So I get there, just in time. And all these young doctors, who look all of 18 years of age, they tell me the worst ... the worst," he said.

At 58, Neeson is still a bona fide action star, but said he realizes the work is fleeting if he doesn't train properly. That work, in turn, eased his grief.

"I think I survived by running away some. Running away to work. Listen, I know how old I am and that I'm just a shoulder injury from losing roles. ... It's easy enough to plan jobs, to plan a lot of work. That's effective. But that's the weird thing about grief. You can't prepare for it," Neeson said.

"You think you're gonna cry and get it over with. You make those plans, but they never work."

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-- Matt Donnelly
Twitter.com/MattDonnelly

Photo: Liam Neeson in New York City in January 2009. Credit: Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times 

Comments

[the Flying Dutchman]

Liam is an actor of crushing talent. Whether or not he loses roles because of advancing age or injury is beside the point. He's in the top of his class for acting chops and could easily focus on less action-oriented roles.
But whatever the case. Grief is grief, and God Bless him however he chooses to handle it.

[Terry Gibson]

Liam Neeson is an actor of indisputable talent. At the time of Natasha Richardson's accident and death, I thought about him and his family. How would they cope?

Having just lost two brothers inside of eighteen months (and four family members prior), I have gained some real experience with grief. It is different for everyone but the truly unexpected death -- like my 26 year old brother last week -- leaves a person reeling. I also sought solace in work and continue to gravitate in that direction. Grief triage is not easy nor fast.

[Rafa]

I worked with Natasha on a pilot, and she was an incredible person! I remember the love she had for her family, and immediately thought how crushed Liam had to be with the news of her untimely passing. My thoughts and prayers go out to him and their children. You never really get over such a tragic loss, you just learn to cope, a little more each day.

[virginia ennis]

Liam Neeson is my first movie crush since i went bonkers over everything Steve Mcqueen (tell you how old i am?). I first noticed him in excaliber. When this man turns to the side he looks like a greco-roman god who could have been a model for Florentine artists. Even his voice is soothing; his acting superb. I know he must have been crushed as Natasha was an incredible actress and a true natural beauty, and I remember his appearance on Sesame Street with his then small sons (which i taped) so I know family was extremely important to him.