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Remembering Christopher and Dana Reeve

Montage of Chris Reeve Photos



Remembering Christopher Reeve

Courage

Celebrities

  • "Miss you. May flights of angels sing thee to thy rest." - Robin Williams tribute to Reeve upon receiving the Cecil B. Demille Award at the Golden Globes 2005.

  • "The world has lost a tremendous activist and artist and an inspiration for people worldwide. I have lost a great friend," said Robin Williams, the comic actor.

  • "Some rare human beings transcend our greatest dreams of wanting to be strong and bring freedom, goodness, and justice to the world. Christopher Reeve was one of them. He made our dreams a reality. In a fantasy world, Superman is the best incarnation of our finest qualities. In the real world, Christopher Reeve was a true super man who will forever inspire us to strive to attain those qualities." - Ilya Salkind (Executive Producer on "Superman: The Movie").

  • "I am very sad at Christopher's death because he set such an extraordinary example over the last nine years, showing courage and tenacity in finding a new way of life. His focus on stem cell research, on getting himself better as an example for other people, was very inspirational. I think we have lost a very brave and courageous and dedicated individual. Christopher and I saw a lot of each other on the Superman set, and we'd have lunch together and saw each other socially. He was very like how he comes across on film - very strong, very brave, very forthright and very generous-spirited. He was earnest and dedicated to making Superman so that he would not disappoint children or adults who had grown up with the Superman comics. Christopher really wanted to personify and become the character of Superman and I think he did that wonderfully." - Susannah York, who played Lara (Superman's Kryptonian mother) in the Superman films with Christopher Reeve.

  • "I first met Chris Reeve while he and Margot Kidder were shooting a scene for the first Superman film. I had already completed my train cameo in the same film in Canada earlier, but I was passing though London on a trip and was invited onto the set to watch them work. After knowing that my co-star George Reeves had fallen while working with wires, I was surprised to see that they were using wires with Chris, too. Later in the day Chris, Margot and I lunched and both were so nice and so respectful of the work that we had done with the serials and the tv show. I would not see Chris again until 1994, the year before his riding accident. Success had not changed him at all. He was still the nice, sweet and pleasant person I had first met. I do believe that the world was a better place with him, and we're now a little less secure without him. I'll miss him." - Noel Neill (the original Lois Lane, who made a cameo appearance in Superman: The Movie as Lois Lane's mother).

    Cartoon Tribute

  • "My heart dropped to "shallow" and "stunned" as I opened my browser and saw the photographs of Christopher Reeve. I am still in remorse. The two photographs portrayed by the media will be etched in my mind and soul as long as I live. To me, Christopher Reeve was "The Strongest Man In the World". To me Christopher Reeve has gone up, up, and away and will always be a "Super Man" and role model to all of humanity. May God Bless you Christopher Reeve for all the Super Strength you have shared with us." - Bob Holiday, the actor who played Superman in the 1966 Broadway Musical.

  • "Anyone who walks thru the tunnel and sees the light. And I am sure Chris did this when his accident occurred. And unless you have been on death's doorstep and truly at the mercy of whomever runs this life span. You never know the feeling of spiritual washing that happens when life comes back to your brain. Amazing the first thing you wonder is why have you been given this second chance. What really comes into your mind is that you are here for a reason. And you begin the search as to what that reason really is. This brings on a humility so real you never question it you just go with the flow. The moment of suicide always presents itself but only for a moment for some. Chris was left in a situation that allowed him to directly help a lot of people in his situation and certain things that surround his particular problem. So when speaking of his own fight which was very visible. Chris reached inside a lot of similar and not so bad as he. And he instilled tremendous strength of conviction and courage. And for this reason Christopher Reeve was truly a real life Superman." - Actor Jack O'Halloran (who played the Kryptonian villain "Non" in Superman: The Movie and Superman II).

  • "No one better demonstrated courage, strength and dedication to others than Chris accomplished in these past hard years." - Actor Gene Hackman, who played Superman's archrival Lex Luthor.

  • "Christopher Reeve has long held my admiration for his work on spinal cord injury research and for his tireless efforts on behalf of stem cell research." - Actress Mary Tyler Moore, who suffers from diabetes and advocates for stem cell research.

    Cartoon Tribute

  • "He never gave up. He told me, 'so many of us able-bodied people' are paralyzed in our own lives. He was not." - Jane Seymour, his co-star in the 1980 film "Somewhere in Time".

  • "I am just heartbroken and so sad. I just don't know what to say right now. He grew into such a glorious example of triumph over everything." - Actress Margot Kidder (Reeve's co-star as Lois Lane in the four Superman movies)

  • "He put up with a lot. I am glad he is free of all those tubes." - Barbara Johnson (Reeve's mother)

  • "I think he grew to personify a heroic struggle against disability. We all kind of believed that we would one day see him walk again. Instead we saw him die really very young." - Film director Michael Winner

  • "He was a hero in every sense of the word. It is one thing to play Superman as an actor, entirely another to actually pull it off in real life. We were incredibly lucky to have him part of the Smallville legacy and those shows he acted in will leave an indelible mark. Simply put... he'll be missed." - Jeph Loeb, comic book writer and Supervising Producer on "Smallville".

  • "He was a wonderful actor, director and artist. It's so corny to say it, but the world just lost one of its bravest and most noble men." - " said Bonnie J. Monte, artistic director of the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey in Madison.

  • "He was just such a regular guy, and everybody else was so in awe of him. People would be showing him their baby's pictures. They were that comfortable with him. He was more about his spirit than about his physicality. I feel like somebody's going to benefit from his fight." - Johhny Hollingshed Jr. An extra on Reeve's film, The Rose & The Jackal.

    Cartoon Tribute

  • "What can you say about Christopher Reeve. He embodied all the best that a human being can hope to be. To continue life in the face of such adversity and to make things better for other people, and to contribute so much, is a miracle. He was so kind and generous and funny. He was a prince. His presence in our lifetime has given us all an example of how to live our lives. I am so grateful I knew him. And while I am so sorry for the loss his family must now endure, to me he will always be a constant source of comfort and hope, and will remain up in the stratosphere where he has always been in my eyes." - actress Annette O'Toole (co-starred with Reeve as Lana Lang in Superman III.

  • "Christopher Reeve changed the world, made it a better place. His courage and strength, and his profound spiritual conviction allowed him to do what every artist dreams of doing - to make changes for the good that directly effect the future of all people in the world." - actor John Glover (Smallville's Lional Luthor. Glover acted alongside Reeve onstage in theatre and in the Smallville episode 'Legacy'.)

  • "[Reeve's death] was a true shock, and I had no idea I'd be affected as much as I am. I only spent a short time with Chris at an event for his Paralysis Foundation but it was certainly enough time to realize the kind man he was. I hope the world can look at Mr. Reeve's life and understand that it truly takes just one man's bravery to change the way we see the world. It would have been easy for Mr. Reeve to have just given up with the tremendous adversity he faced. But instead of giving up he gave people hope. He gave people another chance. More importantly, he didn't just do it for himself, he did it for humanity. And that's a true super hero. Christopher Reeve played the role of one of the most memorable and heroic characters created...Superman. But it is obvious to me as I'm sure it is to others, that he was far more of a Superman than he could have possibly imagined." - actor Michael Rosenbaum (Smallville's Lex Luthor.)

  • "I can't stop thinking about Christopher becasue he was a huge part of my life. He was justsuch a great guy. He was complicated, very smart, and he knew he'd done something meaningful. He was very aware of that and very happy with that role." - actress Margot Kidder (Reeve's co-star as Lois Lane in the four Superman movies)

Politicians
  • "We have lost a man who was truly America's hero - Christopher Reeve. Teresa and I were privileged to have known him as a friend and were deeply saddened to learn of his death." - John Kerry Democratic candidate.

  • "Laura and I are saddened by the death of Christopher Reeve. Mr. Reeve was an example of personal courage, optimism, and self determination. He was brave in the face of adversity and was greatly admired by millions of Americans. He will be remembered as an accomplished actor and for his dedicated advocacy for those with physical disabilities. We send our prayers and condolences to his family and friends." - George W. Bush, President of the United States.

  • "He was an inspiration to all of us and gave hope to millions of Americans who are counting on the cures that science can provide." - John Kerry, Democratic Party candidate.

Scientists & Doctors
  • "Christopher Reeve has done an amazing job promoting responsible stem cell research." - Stephen Minger, Kings College London.

  • "His brave determination to see the benefits of stem cell research reach patient care was an inspiration to everyone in our field." - Director of Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, Professor Roger Pedersen.

    Cartoon Tribute

  • "He's been given a lot of credit for raising money and publicity, but one thing that isn't said a lot is how much he motivated scientists. He raised the ambition of the research enterprise by using the word "cure" as opposed to "rehabilitation" or "restoring some function". When he asked me a few weeks after his injury whether there was any therapy that could help, I said yes, he immediately asked how long, and I said seven years. He said, "Well let's make that a goal." So he went to the media and told them, "If we fail, we tried." I think that was his attitude." - Dr Wise Young, Rutgers University, NY.

  • "Reeve bought attention and funding to an often ignored condition. He also showed you can live your life and that it isn't the end of everything important. He believed we needed to look to the future, but also to support people here and now." - Paul Smith, Executive Director of the Spinal Injuries Association.

  • "His invaluable contribution has raised awareness of this issue in a way that no one within the medical or scientific communities could ever have hoped to achieve." - Lord May of Oxford, President of the Royal Society.

    Cartoon Tribute

  • "We are extremely saddened because the world lost not only an excellent actor, but also one of the leading figures who encouraged debate on the subject of embryonic stem cell research. We will miss his contribution." - Dr. Miodrag Stojkovic, Newcastle University

  • "One of the most intense individuals I've ever met in my life. If you had a spinal cord injury like his there was not much that could be done, but he's changed all that. He's demonstrated that there are things that can be done." - Dr. John McDonald, Washington University, St. Louis.

  • "He always said he was working for himself and was convinced that there would be a cure, but I think probably deep in his mind he knew his efforts would be far more likely to pay off for others than for himself." - Chief Executive of the UK Medical Research Council, Professor Colin Blakemore.

    Cartoon Tribute

  • "In terms of funding, he has made a big impact. He was such a public figure." - John Cavanagh, Head of Research for the UK charity Spinal Research.

  • "Christopher Reeve was known to all of us for his campaigning and for his courage. It is absolutely wrong to raise false expectations about the speed with which medical research progresses, but it takes people like Reeve with their commitment and their certainty that they will be cured to carry it forward." - Chief Executive of the UK Medical Research Council, Professor Colin Blakemore.

  • "More than anything he taught me the use of two words - cure and hope. We will have a cure, that will be his legacy." - Dr. Wise Young, Rutgers University, NY.

  • "He was the human voice that changed attitudes. It's one thing for scientists to say, 'We know we can do this' but Christopher put all this into a real life perspective." - Chief Executive of the UK Medical Research Council, Professor Colin Blakemore.

    Cartoon Tribute

  • "He was a genuinely good person -- his character and the way he always challenged everybody to do more," recalled Steven Kirshblum, director of the spinal cord injury program at the Kessler Institute of Rehabilitation in West Orange, who was Reeve's doctor when the actor underwent six months of rehabilitation in 1995.

  • "The work will not only go on, but it must go on faster to make this happen, for Christopher's sake. We have to work twice as hard now" - Wise Young, who chairs the department of cell biology and neuroscience at Rutgers University and was a close friend of Reeve's, said the actor taught him the meaning of two important words -- hope and cure.

Others
  • "He had great skill as a screen actor and was the archetypal movie star." - Film director Michael Winner. "He will be remembered for his incredible bravery. He had these injuries, but refused to feel sorry for himself." - Matt Muellar, editor for Total Film magazine.

  • "I'm only sorry that he won't be around anymore to benefit from it. He wasn't there just to lend a name; he was there to lead, to step out and challenge the accepted dogma of the time that a paralysis cure was unattainable." - Henry Steifel, 39, of New York City, a quadriplegic since a car accident at 17.

  • "Christopher Reeve was a dynamic individual who made remarkable contributions to the arts and to the public's appreciation for scientific research. His humor and generosity never waned throughout his long struggle to overcome his injury. He exemplifies the very highest Cornell ideals. We remember him with affection and admiration. Our best wishes and prayers are with his family and his many friends throughout the world as we mourn his loss." - Tommy Bruce, Vice President of Communications and Media Relations, Cornell University (Where Reeve was once a student).

  • "He was a terrifically nice guy with a good sense of humor." - Stephen Cole, Professor of Theatre, Cornell (Cole directed Reeve in A Winter's Tale.)

  • "From the time I taught Chris as a freshman in fall 1970 in an advanced 200 level freshman seminar entitled 'The Reading Of Fiction' he and I remained close throughout his Cornell years. I remember working with him to plan his senior year in NYC in order that he could pursue acting training and theatre opportunities. I kept in touch with him before and on occasion indirectly by letter after his accident, and spent quite a bit of time with him during his 1993 visit when his film 'The Remains of the Day' was previewed here. [Reeve] was a fine student - articulate, enthusiastic and well prepared - and a warm and gentle presence, and even after his successes, a modest man dedicated to becoming the best actor he could be." - Daniel Schwarz, Proffesor of English at Cornell, and the Stephen H. Weiss Presidential Fellow.

  • "Two aspects of his personality always impressed me. The first was his tenderness with children...the contrast between his colossal stature and his minute concern for everybody and everything that was frail and exposed. The other trait which I found compelling was his implacably adventurous life-force, his stubborn audacity. If something new challenged him, something different, you could be sure Chris was going to hurry after it in hot pursuit no matter what the trials and tribulations might await him. The best of the American pioneer spirit, I thought to myself, always searching for the next horizon...When we worked together at his apartment in New York or at his and his wife Dana's house in Williamstown, Chris used to enjoy stories I would tell him that came from a hispanic tradition. So if I were spending some time with him today, I would pour into his ears the story of El Cid, the Spanish warrior who won his last battle posthumously, when his followers placed his dead body upon his horse and sent him forward into combat, scattering the enemy. Yes I think my friend would have been gratified to think that his own passing away would have offered him the chance - one last chance to become yet again a hero. I think that he would have been delighted to know that, from beyond death, he was doing much more for suffering humanity that the superman he used to embody, the superman whom he surpassed every day and every night of his arduous and wonderful and everyday existence." - Ariel Dorfman, Chilean novelist, playwright, essayist, journalist and human rights activist.

  • "We'll miss Chris for his friendship and for his wonderful portrayal of our character [Superman]. In the last years of his life, he gave new depth to what being a Superman can mean." - Paul Levitz, President of DC Comics.

  • "I'm sure a lot of Superman fans and, and those of us lucky enough to have worked with the Man of Steel, in one capacity or another, will say the same thing in a million different ways: lots of us have been involved with Clark Kent, lots of people have played Kal-El, and lots will join the never ending battle for years to come - but after the last nine years, and the struggle that Christopher Reeve endured, I now know of the one of us who lived like a Superman." - Mike Carlin, Senior Editor for DC Comics.

    Cartoon Tribute

Note: Many additional cartoons related to the death of Christopher Reeve can be viewed at Daryl Cagle's Professional Cartoonists Index.



Remembering Dana Reeve

Dana Reeve Celebrities
  • "The brightest light has gone out. We will forever celebrate her loving spirit." - close friends Robin Williams and his wife Marsha

  • "Dana made the world a better place, and we all shall miss her song terribly." - Susan Sarandon, Pound Ridge neighbor and friend

  • "She was a guide in terms of how we should lift our spirits in the face of adversity; how, no matter what we're faced with, we can overcome it, even death. She really was a profound leader, in terms of, 'What do you do in the face of adversity? You behave the way I behave.' The way Dana Reeve behaves. That's how you behave. You make the most out of every second. It's certainly a day of sadness, but it's also a day of remembrance of a kind of love and inspiration that is rare and unique. And I deeply believe that it's possible that these two lights of love couldn't be without each other." - Mandy Patinkin

  • "She showed us all the true power of love. (She was) an unflinching optimist, who never let anything get her down, and if she did she never showed us." - Jane Seymour, who starred with Christopher in Somewhere in Time

  • New York Ranger hockey great Mark Messier, one of the first people to visit Christopher Reeve after he was paralyzed in a 1995 horseback-riding accident, expressed his family's deepest sympathies to the couple's son, Will, and said that Dana Reeve's "optimistic and positive outlook in the face of adversity will continue to provide inspiration to us all." Only two months ago, Dana had belted out Carole King's "Now and Forever" to a teary-eyed Madison Square Garden crowd at a ceremony honoring Messier.

  • "Dana endured terrible things, but never did I hear her speak a self-pitying word. She was a woman with genius for compassion. She gave strength not just to Chris, but to everyone who knew them both. Her death is devastating." - John Lithgow

  • "I didn't know she wouldn't get better. I'm very upset." - Edie Falco of The Sopranos

  • "I was honored to know Dana and am deeply saddened by her passing. She was an inspirational woman who showed great courage and grace throughout her life. My thoughts and prayers are with her family. I hope they will take comfort in knowing what a positive difference she made for so many lives on this earth. I loved her and she will be greatly missed." - Catherine Zeta-Jones

  • "Catherine and I are devastated by all the losses, but we do find such inspiration in how she conducted her life." - Michael Douglas

  • "I don't think words can comfort at this time. Just love and support of his family, and for Will to know that millions of people loved his father and mother." - George Lopez said of Will, Dana and Christopher's son.

  • "What I loved about Dana was her regularness. She was a girlfriend, a mom and a woman who was looking to get through life as it was dealt to her." - Deborah Roberts, a friend and colleague who had worked with Dana on Lifetime Live

  • "It is impossible to overstate the goodness of this beautiful young woman, and the challenge to faith that is involved in trying to understand her death. Every minute of her life for the past decade and more has been spent doing everything she could for other people. Even the moments she took for herself, to sing, were about giving us joy. Chris was my friend; I only got to know Dana later. But I came to see her as perhaps the most extraordinary person I'd ever met. Her radiance as a woman was fueled by her love. Her love was immeasurable and generously, tirelessly given. We will miss her so, so much." - Meryl Streep

Dana Tribute Cartoon

Politicians

  • "We are deeply saddened by the death of our dear friend Dana Reeve. Dana was a courageous woman who never stopped fighting for what she believed in; whether it was finding better treatments and a cure for paralysis or in her battle against lung cancer, Dana was a model of tenacity and grace. Despite the adversity that she faced, Dana bravely met these challenges and was always an extremely devoted wife, mother and advocate. Dana was an inspiration to us and we will miss her." - former President Bill Clinton and Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.)

  • "Dana Reeve used the great personal challenge of her husband's paralysis to work so that other families would not have to endure the same pain." - House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.)

  • "We face the tragic, untimely passing today of a woman whose enormous courage was matched only by her boundless generosity. Dana Reeve's advocacy for those with disabilities was critical in breaking new ground in research and technology. She worked tirelessly on behalf of people living with paralysis to improve their quality of life and their chances of a cure. Dana also spoke for caregivers, knowing the heartbreaks and the joys they encounter every day. Her guidance and compassion will be greatly missed. America was touched by Dana's courage, her leadership and her devotion to her husband and family. Her unbreakable spirit and her refusal to give up, no matter what life dealt her, personified the Christopher Reeve Foundation motto of Go Forward. Maria and I send our deepest condolences to her family and all those who loved her as they mourn the loss of a truly remarkable woman." - California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger

  • "I thought that after everything that she had gone through with Chris that she would have time to smell the flowers and be in the sun. But apparently that was not meant to be."- Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.

  • "She possessed more courage and selflessness than nearly anyone I've ever met."- Former New Jersey Gov. Richard J. Codey, who met Dana Reeve when her husband testified before a state Senate committee in 2002, commended her activism on behalf of stem-cell research, which Codey, now Senate president, still supports.

  • Former NSW (Australia) premier Bob Carr said, "She was an unbelievable support for a great husband. They were an outstanding team that touched the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. Her late husband Christopher Reeve was the most impressive human I met in 10 years as premier. It was a great honour to invite him and Dana to Australia to help campaign to legalise stem cell research and to plan better support for survivors of spinal injury and disease. When Christopher and Dana met people with disabilities at a conference on the subject they gave everything of themselves and I vividly remember Dana singing a song from South Pacific at the huge Sydney fundraiser for spinal injury research."

Dana Tribute Cartoon

Scientists and Doctors

  • Rajiv Ratan, executive director of the Burke Medical Research Institute in White Plains, said Dana and Christopher Reeve were both models of how to "turn a personal tragedy into a public good. As a spinal-cord researcher, we are benefiting constantly from their impact," said Ratan, whose institute studies disabilities caused by injuries to the spine and brain. "They both worked as a team and they worked together to do what was necessary to raise public awareness and raise funds to advance science. ... I think (she) has really sort of graciously received the torch from him when he passed on."

  • "Even in the darkest moment of her life, her thoughts were for others," said Dr. Wise Young, a friend and spinal-cord researcher at Rutgers University, recalling how Dana tried to comfort the weeping mourners during the private memorial service for Christopher. "She was trying to console us, when she lost the love of her life. If she were here now, she would be trying to console us.... I knew how serious her disease was, but we all took hope in her strength," Young said. "I was hoping - until the last minute." Even after her husband's death, Mrs. Reeve worked to urge Congress to pass the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Act, which would establish clinical trials for paralysis and its complications and fund research on patients' quality of life. "It was Dana's fondest wish to get this passed," Young said. "I'm heartbroken that Dana did not see this happen."

Dana Tribute Cartoon

Others

  • Dana's dear friend Michael Manganiello, who's also vice president of the Christopher Reeve Foundation, was one of those with Dana in the end. He told Diane Sawyer Wednesday morning what the final moments were like. "We all sort of held hands," he revealed. "And we were all there with her, and it was surprisingly peaceful."

  • Shortly after Dana sang at the Madison Square Gardens ceremony honoring Mark Messier, she learned the cancer had taken an aggressive turn. Michael Manganiello was with Dana when the doctors walked in with the news. "Dana and I just kind of knew," Manganiello said. "They [the doctors] said the tumor had gone in a different direction and things started to spiral out of control." Manganiello said Reeve fought to the end - trying visualization and extremely healthy eating - but the cancer was too aggressive."She very much became Chris in a way," Manganiello said. "Chris fought right to the last moment hoping there would be a cure, and Dana was the same way. Dana, right until the end, said there's going to be one more thing." Manganiello said the one thing Reeve made sure of was that her son, Will, 13, would be surrounded by people who loved him."I think Dana's only wish for Will, I think it was the things she taught and Chris taught Will all along - that he be a responsible human being who realized that with privilege and with the things that he had in this world, that you had to give back," Manganiello said. "He's already doing that. He's already giving back. He will continue, and I think we're going to look back and see great things."

  • Valerie Estess became friendly with the Reeves through the charity she co-founded, Project ALS, which aims to find a cure for Lou Gehrig's disease. Estess' group was one of many that joined forces with the Reeves' foundation to push the government and medical community to seek stem-cell therapies. "Their influence and their effect was so profound and far-reaching. I think stem-cell research can't help but save lives in the future, thanks to them," Estess said. But on a personal note, Estess - whose sister, Jenifer, was paralyzed and eventually died from ALS - said Reeve was her role model. "She was so well-spoken, so beautiful, such a mother lion," she said. "I was listening to her at Chris' funeral, and she was so eloquent. That voice will be heard for a long time to come."

  • Steve Goldberg, Dana Reeve's former social studies teacher, remembered how Reeve sang "It's not Easy Being Green" while she was a student at Edgemont High School. She graduated in 1979. "She had the most beautiful singing voice. ... She just was melodious," Goldberg said. Her alto was, he said, "a beautiful voice reflecting a very beautiful person."

    Dana Tribute Cartoon

  • Their work for the disabled also touched members of the Pound Ridge Police Department, who raised money for the Christopher Reeve Foundation, which funds spinal injury research and which Dana Reeve became chairwoman of after her husband's death. Chief David Ryan said the department had been "devastated" by Reeve's death, calling her a well-respected and well-loved resident of town. "These were two very special human beings," Ryan said of the Reeves.

  • Donna Cohen, executive director of the Westchester Holocaust Education Center in Purchase, which honored the Reeves in 1997 with its Spirit of Humanity award, called the Reeves' love for each other "astounding to see." She likened their loss to the tragedy of "Romeo and Juliet," two young lovers with an extraordinary connection. "She truly was a pillar of strength and beauty," Cohen said. "I was taken by her commitment to her husband."

  • The deluge of condolences is "just a testament to Dana Reeve. What you saw was what you got. She was extremely genuine and she was the woman we all aspire to be." - Maggie Goldberg, spokeswoman for the Christopher Reeve Foundation

  • "After Christopher died, I think the feeling - unconscious, sort of unarticulated - was, 'This family suffered enough. They don't need another tragedy. I think that's why they're responding so strongly. We felt close to her, and we feel bereaved to find that she died." - Harold Kushner, rabbi laureate of Temple Israel in Natick, Mass., and author of the seminal 1981 book When Bad Things Happen to Good People.

  • "Dana was a warm person, a terrific person, no airs at all. She was a rock with Chris, and with helping him. She was a good mother, a good person, and a great entertainer. Everything that she did for Chris she did whole-heartedly. This is such a loss...we'll miss her very much." - Richard and Carol DeMayo, friends in Williamstown, Mass.

  • "She was a woman with an incredible heart who really put herself out there to help people with disabilities and especially those who are caregivers - something she knew a lot about" - Kathy Lewis, President of the Christopher Reeve Foundation. Lewis had visited Reeve in the hospital on the Friday before her death and said Reeve was "tired but with her typical sense of humor and smile, always trying to make other people feel good, her characteristic personality."

  • "I never heard her complain," longtime friend Bonnie Monte said, "and I never saw her show anything much more than humor and love and compassion and a real sense of self-awareness and a tremendous devotion to the people she loved." In 1987, Monte was at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in Massachusetts when Dana met her future husband while singing in a cabaret. "Chris Reeve fell in love with her, and he fell in love with her at first sight. I watched it happen," said Monte. "But her reaction was, 'Ugh go away.' I don't know a lot of people who would say that to the young, very dashing actor who had just swept the world away as Superman." Monte said Dana had thought, "'He's going to be an arrogant, stuck-up movie star idiot, and I don't want anything to do with him.' He had to fight for her, and he did. "I realized then that she was someone to be reckoned with," said Monte, artistic director for the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, where Mrs. Reeve was a trustee and acted in several productions.

Dana and Christopher Reeve



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