-
Vanessa Redgrave shared a rare public message in honor of late daughter Natasha Richardson’s birthday
-
The Parent Trap star died at 45 years old in 2009 after a ski accident
-
“I will never be reconciled to her dying in the snow, and I’m sure that every mother who has lost a child will have that pain always,” Redgrave said via daughter Joely Richardson’s Instagram
Vanessa Redgrave shared a rare public message about her late daughter, Natasha Richardson, on what would have been her 62nd birthday.
On Sunday, May 11, Redgrave, 88, shared a quote concerning Natasha, who died at 45 years old in 2009, via her other daughter’s Instagram account. Joely Richardson wrote in a caption on Instagram that she asked her mother “if she’d like to say anything” publicly to mark Natasha’s birthday.
“This is what she dictated to me,” Joely, 60, wrote, before writing down an anecdote Redgrave shared regarding how she and her daughters’ father, Tony Richardson, came to name Natasha.
“We were in Greece. We sat drinking our coffees in Constitution Square,” Redgrave told Joely. “Tony said if the baby was a boy we should call him Tom. I said if she was a girl I would like her to be called Natasha after Tolstoy‘s War and Peace. Our Natasha, as yes she was a girl, came swimming out of my womb ready for anything.”
“I can’t believe that she isn’t swimming somewhere now , in one of the pools or seas we explored. I will never be reconciled to her dying in the snow, and I’m sure that every mother who has lost a child will have that pain always,” the Oscar winner added.
Natasha died suddenly after a ski accident during a vacation with her husband, Liam Neeson, and their two sons, Micheál, now 29, and Daniel, 28. Natasha was a Tony Award winning actress who was also known for her roles in movies like The Parent Trap, Maid in Manhattan and Asylum. She had been married to Neeson, now 72, for more than a decade at the time of her death.
On Sunday, Joely shared two photos of herself, Natasha and their mother along with Redgrave’s quotes in her Instagram Stories, as well as a throwback photo of her and Natasha smiling as they ate a dessert together.
Getty
From Left: Natasha Richardson, Vanessa Redgrave and Joely Richardson in New York City in November 2000
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Friends of the acting family, including Andy Cohen, Julianne Moore, Richard E. Grant and Amy Sedaris, left heart emojis in comments on the post. “happy birthday beautiful Tash,” Cohen, who has written about his own friendship with Natasha, wrote.
Joely shares moments with Redgrave and memories of Natasha to Instagram semi-frequently. On April 13, Joely uploaded a number of physical photos to her social media page and included a photo of Natasha “back in the day, her happy place, buying produce” at a French market.
Read the original article on People