Natasha Richardson was known to be a giving and compassionate woman throughout her all-too-short life.

Natasha Richardson2

That’s probably why her family made the decision — most likely according to her expressed wishes — to donate her organs to save other patients’ lives. After she was taken off life support March 18 at Manhattan’s Lenox Hill Hospital, the race to harvest her strong and otherwise healthy organs began.

Organ donation "is very Natasha," a family friend told people. "She spent so much time fighting the stigma of AIDS; someone like that would naturally donate her organs. At least by donating her organs something good could come out of [the tragedy]."

Richardson, 45, died a few days after an unremarkable fall during a beginners ski lesson at a Canadian resort March 16.

An autopsy revealed that a blow to her head caused a fatal epidural hematoma, bleeding between her brain and her skull.

Bless you for giving to others in your last hour, Natasha.