In Memory of Christopher Reeve

[livius drusus]

Christopher Reeve had a home in the town where I went to college. He was a big ice hockey fan and always came to see the games if he was in town. I only saw him there once. He was standing behind the home goal, looking down the length of the rink. He wore jeans, a white shirt and a buttery brown leather jacket. He was so tall. So, so tall. I swear I thought he could just reach over the plexiglass and pat the goalie on the head.

My girlfriend and I were gazing in awe from a few feet away when a puck flipped up past the barrier and landed right at his feet. A cluster of young boys who customarily roamed the perimeter in hope of just such an eventuality charged towards him and then stopped short when they realized they were about to tackle Superman.

He picked up the puck and held it out to the boys. The almost genuflected as they approached; then they snatched it with a muffled thank you and hauled ass. He smiled after them and turned back to the game.

He was a kind, courageous, generous, gorgeous figure of a man. I'll miss him.

[Sonnet]

Rest in peace... :sadbye:

[Ymir's blood]

:(

[Beth]

Yes, I was suprised when I saw this earlier and was going to post a memorial, but Liv, I think you did an eloquent one, I'm glad I did not now. I was suprised to read about his background. He seemed to have grown up in a very intellectual home, his dad a scholar, novelist, and a poet, his mother a journalist. He apparantly grew up around people like Robert Frost and Robert Penn Warren.
Anyway, I think that this Guardian article (http://film.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,12589,1324823,00.html) can do more justice than anything I could ever write. But I will say that for a period of time in my childhood, I was in love with Superman.

[Ronin]

While I can't honestly say that I was a big fan of Reeve's acting career or even the Superman series...I did become a huge fan of his after he was so severely injured.

The way he made his way right into and through adversity will continue to inspire us toward finding courage and keeping hope.


"But I think that -- while I don't believe in God, per se, I believe in spirituality. And I believe that spirituality actually is automatically within ourselves, but we have to learn how to access it, and what that is, is realizing there is a higher power; there is... more than just us, there is an inner strength, there is something, y'know, that comes from -- I don't know where exactly it comes from, but it's -- it really is the best that humans can be and perhaps what it is -- perhaps really what it is love. " ~ Christopher Reeve 1998.

[HelenM]

I was sorry to hear this news.

He fought so hard for every physical ability he regained after his accident. I think he must have been an inspiration to many.

Helen

[Dingfod]

To think, John F. Kerry just mentioned him and his struggle with paralysis and advocacy of stem cell research in last Friday's debate. I liked Christopher Reeve as an actor and as a human being before his accident, and respected him even more after.

[Goliath]

:deepsigh:

[Roland98]

I liked Christopher Reeve as an actor and as a human being before his accident, and respected him even more after.

I've seen that mentioned over and over today, and I think that best sums up my feelings as well. He could have (literally) just given up; just rolled over and died, stayed out of the public eye and wallowed in his own misery and loss until he faded away. But he took a terrible tragedy and used it to try to change the world for the better. If more people did that, think of what an incredible place this world could be.

I think this is the first time I've cried a tear for a celebrity since Mr. Rogers died. :(

[BigBlue2]

I've seen that mentioned over and over today, and I think that best sums up my feelings as well. He could have (literally) just given up; just rolled over and died, stayed out of the public eye and wallowed in his own misery and loss until he faded away. But he took a terrible tragedy and used it to try to change the world for the better. If more people did that, think of what an incredible place this world could be.
Those are pretty much my thoughts on the matter as well. Christopher Reeve is one of the few celebrities who does that or did that. (Michael J. Fox is another one I can think of off the top of my head)

Goodbye, Mr Reeve, you will be missed :(.

[freemonkey]

He could have (literally) just given up; just rolled over and died, stayed out of the public eye and wallowed in his own misery and loss until he faded away. But he took a terrible tragedy and used it to try to change the world for the better. If more people did that, think of what an incredible place this world could be. :(
What an inspiration. :(

[Shake]

What an inspiration. :(
Yeah, exactly.

You will be missed, Christopher. :sadnana: :grave:

[beyelzu]

I am sorry to see him go,

I never hoped that he would recover but I did hope that his celebrity would help push stem cell research.

I liked the superman movies as a child, but I really could give fuck all when an actor dies, but as an activist, he will be sorely missed.