In
the movies, Christopher Reeve played the great comic-book hero,
Superman; in real life he was a hero for a better world. In 1995,
Christopher Reeve's superstar life was changed forever when he
was thrown from a horse; he was paralyzed from the neck down and
needed a breathing apparatus for the rest of his life. Rising
above this tremendous hurdle, Christopher Reeve continued to act
and direct in a wheelchair. Before his paralysis, he had been
active in many social causes for a better world - he was very
politically active, advocating for campaign finance reform; an
environmentalist helping to create New York City's recycling program
as well as partnering with several national environmental organizations
including the Natural Resources Defense Council; and a strong
supporter of human rights organizations like Amnesty International,
and children's advocates such as Save The Children. After his
life-changing injury, Christopher Reeve began advocating tirelessly
for scientific research for people with spinal cord injuries as
well as other debilitating conditions such as Alzheimers, MS,
Parkinson's and stroke victims. He and his wife Dana started the
Christopher Reeve Foundation, which supports research for a cure
and effective treatments for paralysis, as well as providing grants
to help improve the lives of people with disabilities. After starring
in the Superman movies, Christopher Reeve was often asked what
he thought a hero was. At that time he described a hero as "someone
who commits a courageous action without considering the consequences."
But after his experience and his work with many paralysis victims,
Christopher Reeve had a different view about what it takes to
be a real hero. "I think a hero is an ordinary individual who
finds strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming
obstacles." By this, and every other definition, Christopher Reeve
was a true hero.
