Christopher Reeve
Henry4FDR (Henry4FDR(AT)aol.com)
Fri, 8 May 1998 20:54:06 EDT
I think what Christopher has done in three short years is truly outstanding.
Here is a man who was in the prime of life and had fame and fortune. He
enjoyed the sport of cross country horse back competition. His horse stopped
suddenly at a routine third jump in a competition in Culpeper, VA. His spine
and spinal cord were severely damaged at the C-1, C-2 vertebra. He lost use
of motor and sensory function from that level down. He is still from that
level down. He could have easily and understandibly retreated to a private
life as many other celebrities have done with various adversities. He has a
right to grieve, and if his process of grieving involves raising money for
paralytic nerve causes; then I think he is involved in a healthy and
worthwhile process of grieving. In my opinion, he has used his celebrity
status to a greater good. He has done much the same as Franklin Roosevelt.
FDR believed that he would walk again. I believe that he bought Warm Springs
about three years after he had polio. We all know that from Warm Springs
ultimately evolved the March of Dimes and the money to find not a "cure" for
polio, but a vaccine to prevent polio. Maybe, Christopher Reeve would like a
cure of his cord injury, but as with FDR, maybe a greater good will evolve
than a cure for a damage spinal cord. I think Christopher Reeve is instilling
a lot of hope (perhaps personally motivated) and hope is usually positive.
Some would say false hope, but strange things happen in science.
He is vent dependent and knows the fear that exists if his vent were to
malfunction. His Foundation is young. He cannot do everything. The man is
articulate despite his tracheostomy. He can look directly into the camera and
speak slow, deliberate, english. I admire his ability to communicate. Now,
he has written a book and it seems to be well written. Maybe, the book has
been therapeutic for him. If so, wonderful; more able bodied folks are likely
to buy the book, read it, and get a better perspective about spinal cord
injuries and other forms of paralysis. I think that it is remarkable that he
has used his mind so effectively to generate more awareness of the reality
that many severely disabled folks, especially those of us who use ventilators,
are still human, have feelings, and still have useful minds.
His Foundation is imperfect, and maybe is presently overwhelmed with requests
and demands. I would think that a "help" mode would be more fruitful than an
"attack" mode. At least, a "watch and wait" mode would be healthier.
Henry