Liam Neeson still expects late wife Natasha Richardson to walk through door years after freak skiing accident

The Irish actor reveals that the pair had made a pact to "pull the plug" in case either one of them fell into a vegetative state


Liam Neeson has spoken about the tragic death of his wife, Natasha Richardson, following a freak skiing accident five years ago and their pact that they would "pull the plug" if either of them was left in a vegetative state.

The Taken actor opened up to CBS's Anderson Cooper about his grief following her death, saying that he still expects "to hear her" coming in through the door, but he also revealed how the couple had planned for the tragedy by pulling the plug on each other if they fell into a vegetative state.

In an emotionally charged interview that will air on Sunday on 60 minutes, Neeson, 61, tells Cooper how he arrived at a Canadian hospital to find out that his wife had been left brain dead following her accident, saying: "She was on life support...I went in to her and I told her I loved her."

Getty Liam Neeson and his wife Natacha Richardson
Liam Neeson and his wife Natasha Richardson

Liam then reveals that he said to his wife: "Sweetie, you're not coming back from this, you've banged your head."

The Schindler's List star also explains in the interview that the couple, who married in 1994 and had two sons, had in fact put in place plans for the exact tragedy that befell Natasha.

He frankly states: "She and I had made a pact, if any of us got into a vegetative state that we'd pull the plug.

"That was my immediate thought, "Okay, these tubes have to go. She's gone."'

Following her accident Liam kept his wife on life support for a short period of time so that her family and friends could say a proper goodbye.

Getty Liam Neeson and his wife Natacha Richardson
Liam Neeson and his wife Natasha Richardson

Talking about the lasting effects of her passing and his grief, the Irish actor told Anderson that he still expects his wife to come walking in through the door in their New York house.

He tells Cooper that her death "was never real," and "when I hear the door opening, especially the first couple of years... anytime I hear that door opening, I still think I'm going to hear her".

While the actor explains that his grief is still a part of his life, yet less immediate and debilitating, he still has moments where he still reels from the loss.

Liam told Anderson: "It hits you. It's like a wave. You just get this profound feeling of instability... the Earth isn't stable anymore and then it passes and it becomes more infrequent, but I still get it sometimes.'

Getty Liam Neeson and Natasha Richardson
Liam Neeson and Natasha Richardson

The actor manages to find some solace in her death, revealing that three people are alive thanks to Richardson's organs.

He said: "She's keeping three people alive at the moment. Her heart, her kidneys and her liver. It's terrific and I think she would be very thrilled and pleased by that."

Cooper has interviewed Neeson in the lead-up to the release of his latest action-packed thriller, Non Stop, which premieres next week.


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