Could It Have Been Prevented? More Details On The Events Leading Up To Natasha Richardson's Passing

The timeline of events following Natasha Richardson’s tragic accident have been pieced together, revealing “critical lapses in her care” that may have led to the actress’ death.
Richardson fell not long after 12:43 pm on Monday, which was when a member of the Mont Tremblant ski patrol was dispatched to the site of Natasha’s accident.
An ambulance arrived at 1:00 pm to the bottom of the ski slope and waited for Richardson to meet paramedics for treatment via toboggan.
Richardson reportedly “whisk[ed] by on the sled without stopping,” and the ski patrol informed the paramedics that Natasha had refused treatment and they were free to go.
Richardson made a stop at the Mont Tremblant clinic with her ski instructor, which may or may not have been staffed by a physician, and headed back to her suite at a nearby hotel.
Another ambulance was dispatched to the hotel at 3:00 pm after Richardson’s ski instructor called the hotel manager.
“The instructor called the general manager and said Richardson had a headache and she was not feeling well. The [general manager] went to see her said she was going to call an ambulance. Richardson said she didn’t need an ambulance or a doctor – and the GM insisted that an ambulance come and get her,” revealed Yves Coderre, director of the ambulance company that services Mont Tremblant.
When paramedics arrived to Richardson’s room, they saw “something that wasn’t right… [The paramedic] saw some signs indicating her condition was destabilizing. He called ahead to the hospital to let them know of her condition and he put the siren on,” said Coderre.
Richardson left Mont Tremblant for Centre Hospitalier Laurentain in Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts at 3:47 pm where the actress’ condition was stabilized.
After being stabilized, Natasha was rushed to the trauma center of the Sacre-Coeur hospital in Montreal. Richardson did not arrive to the trauma center until 7:00 pm due to the 52 mile trek between the two hospitals.
The Sacre-Coeur hospital was unable to provide helicopter transportation to the late actress because Montreal is unequipped with helicopters for medical transport.
“Our system isn’t set up for traumas and doesn’t match what’s available in other Canadian cities, let alone in the States,” said Tarek Razek, the director of trauma services for the McGill University Health Centre in Montreal.
How heartbreaking.
We only hope Natasha’s untimely death will set the wheels in motion for a reevaluation of the trauma system in Montreal.
[Image via WENN.]