Christopher Reeve dead at 52

[deltat2000]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6223386/

'Superman' star Christopher Reeve dead at 52
Spinal chord advocate fell into a coma Saturday, publicist says
NEW YORK - Actor Christopher Reeve has died, according to his publicist.
Reeve, who was recognized worldwide for his onscreen portrayal as the comic book hero, Superman, fell into a coma Saturday after going into cardiac arrest while at his New York home. He was 52.

Reeve suffered a near-fatal riding accident nine years ago. He became a worldwide advocate for spinal cord research.

Rest In Peace Chris...

[Swamp Fox]

He was a true superhero - he actually willed himself to walking when his body was under water, which is apparently unprecedented in medical history.

:thumbsup:

[Suchaknight]

Anyone think Dubya will get blamed for this, since he was against stem cell research?

[Plunge]

Drudge is reporting that Christopher Reeves died Sunday, a heart attack. Supposedly it will be announced publicly Monday.

He was a damn impressive person, a passion for life and a strength of spirit next to none. A sad day.

[Biker]

Merged with existing thread.

[Shake]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6223386/

'Superman' star Christopher Reeve dead at 52
Spinal chord advocate fell into a coma Saturday, publicist says
NEW YORK - Actor Christopher Reeve has died, according to his publicist.
Reeve, who was recognized worldwide for his onscreen portrayal as the comic book hero, Superman, fell into a coma Saturday after going into cardiac arrest while at his New York home. He was 52.

Reeve suffered a near-fatal riding accident nine years ago. He became a worldwide advocate for spinal cord research.

Rest In Peace Chris...
Christopher Reeve was a real Superman if one ever existed. God bless him and his family.

[Doctor Dan]

Now this is scary:

http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/041010/041010_reeve_vmed_1130p.vlarge.jpg http://www.ceat.okstate.edu/people/images/Dr%20evil%202.jpg

- Dan

[cdw]

Awww, how sad. His poor family.

Bush and stem cell research have nothing to do with this. Of course, these ugly bastards won't give a damn and will parade his name around. Hell, Kerry already did the other night. My condolences to us all.

[dliw]

Rest in Peace Superman. Planet Earth shall never be the same. We will miss your examples of courage and will. :(

[LissaKay]

Rest in peace, Superman

[Domh]

RIP Reeve.

Lets just see how many minutes it takes Kerry to make a move to capitalize on this. Ive got 5 bucks he mentions it Wednesday night in the debate.

*sigh*

[SixofNine]

Sad to see him go. I enjoyed immensely his recent cameos on the TV series "Smallville."

Brian

[ethics]

Reeve to me (like Reagan) was more than an actor. But I can not write enough about it here. The best thing anyone who liked the man (vs. the actor) should read this column that was written in The New Yorker a few months ago.

http://www.jeromegroopman.com/reeve.html

[Techie2000]

:(

RIP Mr. Reeve

[dliw]

“If you don’t add courage to the equation,..."

A thought which can be and should be applied to the occurrences of everyday life.

[MNeedham73]

RIP Superman.

Although he was best known for Superman,
my favorite movie of his is "Somewhere In Time," with Jane Seymour.

[Allene]

I admired Christopher Reeve immensely, and I think his wife was an absolute class act! He was very fortunate to have her by his side through all these difficulties.

[Fiona]

Awwwwwwwwww... darn it. I've never seen sucha big man pull off peaceful and passive :thumbsup: My eldest always called him SoupMan! Accent on the Soup! ;)
Interestingly enough right after the shock of seeing his passing on the news just now... the next thought that ran through my head was, "I'll bet it's been 8-9 years."
that's how long my cousin survived after her accident. I wonder if this is at all a typical timeline.

RIP SoupMan

[Frodo Lives]

Godbless, Superman. You will not be forgotten. :cry:

[Suchaknight]

Well, there's at least one dissenting opinion:
http://maddox.xmission.com/c.cgi?u=creeve

[Fiona]

I find it interesting how some people can be in such a dark and lonely place as to spew forth such hateful rants.

While a lot of the facts in that piece are true... and i've read it before, They are not expressed well and I completely disagree with the assumptions made because of them.

People don't care about things that dont affect their lives. It is a blessing when someone who is "famous" experiences a tragedy and can bring that cause to light. That doesn't mean famous people should be the ones to suffer. But because we all suffer, if we have the ability to bring it to the public, spread awareness and DO something to help, shouldn't we?

Christopher Reeve is not an asshole!

[ethics]

Well, there's at least one dissenting opinion:
http://maddox.xmission.com/c.cgi?u=creeve


because he's selfish. Reeve didn't give a shit about paralysis before his accident, but now that he's paralyzed, suddenly he opens up a paralysis foundation and cares about the plight of cripples? Where was his foundation in '95 when he played the role of a man with spinal cord injury? Sure, some of you might argue that he's doing a good thing by bringing attention to paralysis, but the underlying message being sent here is that nobody gives a shit about cripples until a celebrity becomes one.

There are hundreds of thousands of human ailments, are we to assume that everyone cares about every and each one of those? That's some lovely logic.

[Violet1966]

I'm so sad over this. This man was so strong willed and was hoping to overcome this tragic thing that happened. I feel for his wife and children who must be very very sad right now. God rest his soul and give his family the strength to go on. :(

[Swamp Fox]

Well, if you want to find something bad about someone, you'll find it - that guy wanted to badmouth someone, and he found his excuse.

Why don't we have an icon for the middle finger?

[ravital]

I find it interesting how some people can be in such a dark and lonely place as to spew forth such hateful rants.
I wouldn't put much stock in any of that, Fiona. It reads like it was written by someone who hasn't suffered anything more severe than lack of attention from his peers, and will say anything to get some.

[Come to think of it, a perfect presidential candidate, real "West Wing" material...]

[Fiona]

aw crap... nm... it's here (http://www.globalaffairs.org/forum/showthread.php?t=19732) ;)

[Doctor Dan]

Maddox does raise an interesting question, albeit crudely: what was the extent of Reeve's philanthropy before his accident?

If you want to see real "Supermen," visit the SCI unit at the VA hospital where I work. Those individuals became paralyzed in service to their country, not because they were indulging themselves in an elitist sport. But you won't see any forum posts about them when they die. Perhaps their lack of celebrity status and meager financial resources has something to do with that...

- Dan

[MorWired]

Maddox does raise an interesting question, albeit crudely: what was the extent of Reeve's philanthropy before his accident?

If you want to see real "Supermen," visit the SCI unit at the VA hospital where I work. Those individuals became paralyzed in service to their country, not because they were indulging themselves in an elitist sport. But you won't see any forum posts about them when they die. Perhaps their lack of celebrity status and meager financial resources has something to do with that...

- DanWell of course their lack of celebrity status has "somethng" to do with it, the only reason people care about Christopher Reeve is because they know who he is, and, because he's a familiar face in their living rooms, and they feel that they know him and know of his life.

That he was injured riding a horse isn't something to be held against him, neither is that he had financial resources and celebrity, his life before isn't at fault. That we aren't concerned or interested about the veterans in the Spinal Cord Injury unit at your (and all the others) hospital is OUR fault, not Christopher Reeve's. And, not to get partisan about it, because I'm not sure either party would be doing this differently, because the emphasis is on masking the human cost of this war as best as possible, these soldiers whose lives have been forever altered are seldom seen, and rarely talked about -- they have been rendered voiceless and invisible, and that's just the way it's "supposed" to be.

[ethics]

Maddox does raise an interesting question, albeit crudely: what was the extent of Reeve's philanthropy before his accident?

Where is everyone prior to a tragedy? Half the great minds of human history went through trials of adversity to awaken something inside. To call Reeves an asshole because he was living his life is a little too far.

If Reeves was in opposition to philanthropy, then I think I would agree with you.

If you want to see real "Supermen," visit the SCI unit at the VA hospital where I work. Those individuals became paralyzed in service to their country, not because they were indulging themselves in an elitist sport. But you won't see any forum posts about them when they die. Perhaps their lack of celebrity status and meager financial resources has something to do with that...

- Dan

A true hero is never recognized, acknowledged, or remembered, and a true hero would not want it any other way.

[Doctor Dan]

If Reeves was in opposition to philanthropy, then I think I would agree with you.
Philanthropy isn't establishing a foundation after-the-fact from which the patron may directly benefit.

- Dan

[LissaKay]

Well ... yeah ...

I've got a message for the world, a cause to advocate, one that I feel is vitally important and could benefit thousands. Before I had personal, in-my-face experience with the issue, I was aware, but I wasn't impassioned about it. I scream, yell, talk to anyone who will sit and listen long enough, I write, I write, I write ... I post about it here and on my web site and maybe a couple dozen people have heard my message and maybe half of them would take time to further my message. My hope is that my message reaches at least one person and makes a change for their life.

Now if I had Christopher Reeve's fame and fortune, I would be no more or less impassioned, but I would have the vehicle, the medium to get my message to more people and touch even more lives. But I don't ... he had his path in the world, and I have mine. That's just the way it is.

[ethics]

Philanthropy isn't establishing a foundation after-the-fact from which the patron may directly benefit.

- Dan

Then I am an asshole, Dan. You may, and only you, address me as such. :)

[Doctor Dan]

Then I am an asshole, Dan. You may, and only you, address me as such. :)

rofl

- Dan

[LissaKay]

Two notes ...

One, Reeve didn't benefit, and was not likely to given the progress of spinal cord damage research and the extent of his injury.

Two, a question ... how do philanthropists become philanthropists? Do they just wake up one day and decide to support a cause out of the blue? Or perhaps they have some kind of personal experience, like Reeve, that motivates them?

[MorWired]

Philanthropy isn't establishing a foundation after-the-fact from which the patron may directly benefit.

- DanMost causes are started from someone's tragedy. If your mother, sister, daughter had breast cancer, you might start a foundation. If you lost someone to lung cancer, you might produce some PSAs to warn people away from smoking. If your small child drowned in your swimming pool, you might start some sort of awareness campaign. What's wrong with that? We do what we can, we do what we know.

Some people, I suppose, have causes just because, but in general our lives are filled with occasions of grief, and it only makes sense to use our time and efforts to suport and publicse causes that have some direct impact on our lives. To fault someone because there may be an upside is pretty short-sighted.

Before Rock Hudson's AIDS became a public thing, AIDS was something that only happened to "them," he put a familiar face on the disease, and suddenly people saw that it could happen to someone they "knew," and funding and awareness followed. Same with Ronald Reagan and Alzheimer's, and Michael J. Fox and Parkinson's. For some reason, we feel an empathy and a connection with these strangers we know from our tvs, and if they gain something while they make the public aware, well, good for them -- but it's quite likely they know and understand that they will not directly benefit from their efforts, medical advances aren't that rapid or reliable, but they are willing to be in the forefront, and hope to make a difference to the people who will be similarly afflicted in the future.

[Doctor Dan]

how do philanthropists become philanthropists? Do they just wake up one day and decide to support a cause out of the blue? Or perhaps they have some kind of personal experience, like Reeve, that motivates them?
Many philanthropists don't have a motivating trigger; they fund projects and foundations simply to better the human condition. What philanthropic endeavors did Reeve contribute to before his accident?

- Dan

[MorWired]

Many philanthropists don't have a motivating trigger; they fund projects and foundations simply to better the human condition. What philanthropic endeavors did Reeve contribute to before his accident?

- DanWhy should his motives be suspect? How does what he did or didn't do before negate the last 10 years? How did he personally benefit? If his participation was so offensive, why didn't the medical professionals involved in the studies he and his foundation were promoting protest and decline?

[ShinyTop]

How many celebs and others with money suffered a deadly or crippling disease and did not start a foundation?

[Doctor Dan]

Why should his motives be suspect? How does what he did or didn't do before negate the last 10 years? How did he personally benefit? If his participation was so offensive, why didn't the medical professionals involved in the studies he and his foundation were promoting protest and decline?
I'm not saying that his motives are suspect. What I find offensive is the fawning over Reeve and his death as if he was the world's greatest and most generous benefactor.

- Dan

[Coot]

I'm not sure just how much of a philanthropist Reeve was, that is to say, I don't know just how much money he personally had left. I do know that Robin Williams was spending about $400K/yr on Reeve's medical expenses after his insurance maxed out.

[MorWired]

I'm not saying that his motives are suspect. What I find offensive is the fawning over Reeve and his death as if he was the world's greatest and most generous benefactor.

- DanWho is fawning? I see expressions of sympathy, and well-wishes for his family. Some people admired his work as an actor, and feel a certain "hero worship" vibe with the whole Superman thing, frankly, I don't get that, but whatever. I'm not seeing him get nominated for humanitarian of the year, just some admiration for a man who took the shitty hand that life dealt him and chose to do something for the greater good.

He could have just as easily faded into anonymity, kept his pride and dignity and allowed himself to be remembered as the robust man that he was prior to the accident, but he chose to expose himself and his condition, and made it just a little bit easier for the next person with a spinal cord injury to be recognized and treated like a human being in a chair, and not like a chair with a circus attraction in it. He gave a familiar face and dignity to the previously invisible, and that is worth more than whatever money he raised.

He wasn't "the world's most generous benefactor" but he handled himself with courage and dignity, and that's worthy of recognition and admiration.

[tke711]

Many philanthropists don't have a motivating trigger; they fund projects and foundations simply to better the human condition. What philanthropic endeavors did Reeve contribute to before his accident?

- Dan

That's not necessarily true. Some sure, but I would hardly say it's even 25% of them. Even the largest Foundations in this country have strict rules as to what they will fund based on the interests and passions of the founders. More times than not, this interest and passion of the founders is based on some sort of personal experience.

Sure, Mr. Reeves may not have done much for spinal cord injuries before his accident. Just like I never did much for Special Olympics before I worked in a group home for the developmentally disabled. My lack of involvement wasn't due to me being some callus or non-caring individual. It was just because I didn't know anything about it. Once I did however, it became a life-long passion for me and something that I'm still involved with today.

If Mr. Reeves injury, work, and/or death even gets one more person interested in helping those with spinal cord injuries, then his work is done and should be applauded....not chastised.

To belittle or ridicule any man in his death is disgraceful IMHO.

[Doctor Dan]

Who is fawning? I see expressions of sympathy, and well-wishes for his family.
Have you watched the evening news?

Of course, considering the fickle vagaries of the media, in a few days all of this will fade into the abyss.

- Dan

[mers2]

How many celebs and others with money suffered a deadly or crippling disease and did not start a foundation? That would be hard to determine as the ones who get the publicity are the ones who start a foundation or otherwise use their celebrity to bring attention to a cause. Those who choose to withdraw from the public after a tragedy or crippling disease are gone from the public eye and don't get the press. I for one think Christopher Reeve should be commended for doing all that was within his power after such a totally disabling injury to not only raise money and awareness for spinal cord injuries, but doing what he could on his own to try to regain ability - doing the massive amount of work to regain even just a small amount of sensation and the ability to move one finger. Weaker persons would never have tried.

Edited to respond to Dr. Dan: The vets deserve honor and commendation as well. It's sad that the American public is not made more aware of their sacrifice.

[MorWired]

Have you watched the evening news?

Of course, considering the fickle vagaries of the media, in a few days all of this will fade into the abyss.

- DanI suspect the press has been starving for "anything but" politiics and war. The story of the "beloved noble cripple" should be good for a few ratings points, while cynicism reigns supreme.

[Doctor Dan]

Edited to respond to Dr. Dan: The vets deserve honor and commendation as well. It's sad that the American public is not made more aware of their sacrifice.

Yeah, well you'll never see them up on stage at the Academy Awards...

- Dan

[Doctor Dan]

And whose fault is that?
I'd say it's the fault of Hollywood: actors who ape reality are far more interesting than the genuine article. Of course, in Reeve's case, life wound up imitating "art."

- Dan

[MorWired]

I'd say it's the fault of Hollywood: actors who ape reality are far more interesting than the genuine article. Of course, in Reeve's case, life wound up imitating "art."

- DanNow you're reaching, but at least Hollywood is "back on topic." :)

So, how many tv movies is this going to produce? one per network, a couple for cable? What's a "suitable" interval? November sweeps? Feb?

[xwhirledx]

I used to lament that celebrities didn't seem to give a darn until something tragic happened to them. But I've come to realize that once a celebrity does get sick, it's to the benefit of all that they draw so much attention to the disease and set up foundations and the such.

I guess that's also why people seemed to live Princess Di so much. She didn't really have any terminal illness of her own, yet she seemed to always want to open up to those people and give them attention.

[tke711]

Multiple posts that were OT have been removed. Please continue to keep this thread on topic.

Thanks!

[ditch]

I cannot hold Reeve in low regard for doing nothing for the spinal injured before his accident. That would be unecessarily cynical and callous. To hold Mother Teresa, for example, in much higher regard is justified isn't it? Without any experience of the suffering of those she helped, she devoted much of her life to helping the poor.

Are we forgetting one of the world's most famous celebs who donates millions to charities from which he will not gain any benefit except if they are tax deductable, Mr Bill Gates. I still put Mother T on a higher pedestal though. ;)

We had an example here of our richest man, Kerry Packer, who had a heart attack while playing polo. The ambulance service received millions of his money following them saving his life through the use of equipment only some ambulances were equipped with. All ambulances now have that equipment, atleast in the state of NSW. I cannot but admire Packer's good deed but I still have Mother T on that higher pedestal.

[Allene]

I was absolutely repelled by Maddox's little essay. I thought it was small and ugly.

I never went to any of the Superman movies. In fact, I never saw any of Christopher Reeve's movies, but he deserves credit for the admirable way in which he dealt with his adversity. It doesn't matter what he was or what he did before the accident. Adversity changes people for either better or worse. You are never again the same after it touches your life, and I'm speaking here of more than the physical aspects.

Christopher Reeve had a choice. Instead of committing suicide or turning into a bitter, self-pitying victim, he became a voice for people with similar disabilities. What he did could very well help other victims of this type of injury, although it may take years for it to happen.

[ethics]

Well said, Allene, and the link to the New Yorker article states just that and much much more about what he went through. And yes, I know that everyday people go through the same thing each day and no one hears about it. That's not Reeve's fault.

[Shake]

I'm not saying that his motives are suspect. What I find offensive is the fawning over Reeve and his death as if he was the world's greatest and most generous benefactor.

- Dan
I wouldn't word it as "fawning", I'd call it giving respect to the man for what he did. Some people would complain and whine about their situation and not do anything about it but he did do something about it. Reeves bettered himself and others after what he went through. Instead of being cynical about it I think it is great that Reeves made the world a better place through what he did.

A Superman is not someone who can fly, or who can repel steel bullets but someone who has the inner strength to overcome incredible obstacles like paralysis and try to live as much as a life that they did before the accident occured.

[Doctor Dan]

I wouldn't word it as "fawning", I'd call it giving respect to the man for what he did. Some people would complain and whine about their situation and not do anything about it but he did do something about it. Reeves bettered himself and others after what he went through. Instead of being cynical about it I think it is great that Reeves made the world a better place through what he did.

A Superman is not someone who can fly, or who can repel steel bullets but someone who has the inner strength to overcome incredible obstacles like paralysis and try to live as much as a life that they did before the accident occured.

How is that any different than the other SCI patients doing the same thing with far fewer resources?

- Dan

[MorWired]

How is that any different than the other SCI patients doing the same thing with far fewer resources?

- DanIt isn't at all -- but they're not visible while he was. Let's put it this way, there was nothing "different" about Lou Gehrig, he was no more or less special than anyone else with ALS, but he had means and a voice, and he used it for the greatest possible good. Same diff.