Superman, Christopher Reeve, died on October 10, 2004. Reeve said often that he wanted to “escape the cape.” It was his reference to not wanting to be bound and typecast into the super hero he played in three Superman movies.
Shortly after the first Superman movie was released, Reeve was frequently asked “What is a hero?” In retrospect, he remembers that his answer was somewhat glib. He would tell the reporter or talk show host that a hero is someone that commits a courageous action without considering the consequences. He would refer to a soldier dragging an injured buddy to safety or a personality that seemed larger than life like John F. Kennedy or Joe DiMaggio.
But his answer changed after a tragic accident in 1995. It was Memorial Day weekend and Christopher Reeve was competing in a horse riding competition in Culpeper, Virginia. He was on his third jump when he was thrown from his horse. His hands got stuck in the reins and he came crashing down headfirst in an accident that broke his neck and left him unable to breathe or move.
In the years that followed, Christopher learned and exemplified to all what being a hero was all about. No longer able to live independently, he had to summon the courage to move on with his life. Immediately after the accident, he couldn’t imagine a life without physical movement, a life as a quadriplegic living on a ventilator. Here was a man who had been determined to do his own movie stunts in Superman and was known for his strength and athleticism. The thought of being paralyzed seemed unbearable.
It was his devoted wife, Dana, who stepped up and reassured Christopher that she was in it for the long-haul and would be by his side every step of the way. Once he realized that living was more for others than for himself, he never looked back. He became a tireless crusader and an inspiration to millions. His work and fundraising for spinal cord research advanced the cause more than anyone in history.
He once stated in an interview that he couldn’t understand why able-body people didn’t accomplish everything they wanted. His mind wrestled with the malaise of the masses, and he was dumbfounded. Having a renewed passion for life and living, he simply couldn’t understand why others took their abilities for granted and squandered their time and talents.
He was trapped in a body that could no longer walk, yet he kept moving. He fought the fight every single day and never gave up hope that he would walk again. More importantly, he gave hope to others. He showed the world what courage was all about. He demonstrated that despite our obstacles, things are possible. In fact, his book Nothing Is Impossible was published in 2002.
In it, he states “The vast majority of people live within a comfort zone that is relatively small. The comfort zone is defined by fear and our perceptions of our limitations. We are occasionally willing to take small steps outside it, but few of us dare to expand it. Those who dare sometimes fail and retreat, but many experience the satisfaction of moving into a larger comfort zone and the joyful anticipation of more success.”
In the end, the man that was so often asked “What is a hero?” became one to the world. And though he certainly was not bound by the cape of Superman in his life, he was the perfect guardian for it. He showed us that we are all capable of extraordinary things despite our human limitations. Superman is dead, but he will not be forgotten.
Superman Is Dead - To learn more about this author, visit Will Turner's Website.
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