It has been 16 years since the tragic death of actress Natasha Richardson, the daughter of entertainment powerhouse, actress Vanessa Redgrave, and director Tony Richardson. Following in her parents’ footsteps, Richardson, who pursued an acting career with numerous honors, including a Tony Award, Drama Desk Award, and Outer Critics Circle Award, passed away in 2009 at the age of 45 after sustaining a head injury in while skiing. Despite the years that have passed, her family continues to miss and mourn her.
In a recent social media tribute, her sister, Joely Richardson, shared a heartbreaking update about their mom’s enduring grief while honoring Richardson on what would have been her 62nd birthday.
Natasha Richardson’s mom remembers her on her death anniversary
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In a heartfelt Instagram post on Sunday, May 11, Joely shared throwback photos of herself, her sister, and their mother, Vanessa Redgrave, alongside a statement from their legendary mother about how she continues to navigate the pain of losing her eldest daughter.
The 88-year-old voiced a feeling that many mothers who have gone through the terrible loss of a child share. She revealed that she does not believe she will ever come to terms with the truth of her daughter’s horrific death in the snow, despite the passage of time.
Vanessa Redgrave reminisces on her late daughter’s memories
Reminiscing on the memories of her late daughter, Redgrave fondly recalled the moment she and her then-husband chose their daughter Natasha’s name during a trip to Greece. She revealed that while they were enjoying coffee in Athens’ Constitution Square, they discussed potential names for their unborn child. Richardson suggested “Tom” if the baby was a boy, while she, inspired by Tolstoy’s War and Peace, preferred “Natasha” for a girl.
Decades since her passing, the actress noted she still finds it quite challenging to believe that her beloved daughter is truly dead and not swimming in a pool somewhere or in some of the seas in which they had visited together while on vacation.