Natasha Richardson is “still alive” despite online reports that she has died following a skiing accident in Canada.
The 45-year-old fell on the slopes while taking a ski lesson at Station Mont Tremblant near Montreal, on Monday.
She was taken to Montreal’s Centre Hospitalier Laurentien, before being transferred to the nearby Hopital du Sacre-Coeur de Montreal with a serious head injury.
The actress’ husband, actor Liam Neeson, rushed to her side on Monday from the set of his film Chloe, currently shooting in Toronto.
On Tuesday, Time Out New York broke the news online that Richardson had died, claiming its editors had been tipped off by a close family friend.
The item disappeared from Time Out‘s Web site shortly afterwards and editors sent out an apology for reporting her death, but insisted, “We stand by our new statement that she is brain dead and not expected to survive.”
Representatives for the star have yet to release any information about her status — but she is believed to have been flown to a second hospital.
Clinic sources tell TMZ.com that Richardson has brain swelling, but is not brain dead.
Meanwhile, a representative for the ski resort has revealed Richardson was not wearing a helmet when she fell, but “did not show any visible sign of injury” shortly afterwards.
Lyne Lortie tells Usmagazine.com, “(She was) accompanied by an experienced ski instructor who immediately called the ski patrol.
“The ski patrol followed strict procedures and brought her back to the bottom of the slope and insisted she should see a doctor.
“As an additional precautionary measure, the ski instructor, as well as the ski patrol, accompanied Mrs. Richardson to her hotel. They again recommended she should be seen by a doctor.
“Approximately an hour after the incident, Mrs. Richardson was not feeling good. An ambulance was called and Mrs. Richardson was brought to the Centre Hospitalier Laurentien in Ste-Agathe and was later transferred to Hopital du Sacre-Coeur.”
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