Monday, October 10, 2005

Remembering a super man...

Christopher Reeve who played a superhero on screen as Superman, lost his courageous battle to live just one year ago today on October 10, 2004. Reeve, 52 went into cardiac arrest at his home in Westchester County, slipped into a coma and died at a hospital near his home...

He made the biggest impact on public consciousness not by his acting but by becoming an advocate for the disabled and for stem cell research following his paralysis in 1995 when thrown from a horse in Virginia. Reeve went through months of therapy to breathe without the continuous aid of a respirator, lobbying Congress in his cause and returned to acting and directing...

Reeve was survived by his wife, Dana and three children. Dana thanked "the millions of fans around the world who supported and loved my husband over the years"...

More on Christopher Reeve in my commentary...

1845) The U.S. Naval Academy opens in Annapolis, MD...

1951) The Yankees beat the Giants in 6 games to win the World Series in Joe DiMaggio's final game...

1957) Lew Burdette's 3rd victory of the World Series gives the Braves the championship over the Yankees in 7 games...

1964) The Shangri-Las release "Leader Of The Pack"...

1965) The Supremes make their 1st appearance on the "Ed Sullivan Show"...

1970) "Tears Of A Clown" by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles is released...

1973) The Mets beat the Reds in Game 5 of the NLCS to advance to the World Series vs. Oakland...

1976) The Giants lose to Dallas 24-14 as the Meadowlands opens in New Jersey...

1978) Steve Perry joins Journey...

1979) "The Rose" starring Bette Midler premieres...

1980) KC's George Brett hits an upper deck home run to give the Royals a sweep of the Yankees in the ALCS...

1981) Anwar Sadat's funeral service is held in Cairo...

1985) Orson Welles dies at 70...

1994) The Giants retire Lawrence Taylor's #56...

1998) A New York judge awards $185,000 in damages to a former prosecutor who was falsely accused by advisers of Tawana Brawley (Al Sharpton) of taking part in the alleged rape of Brawley...

1999) The Red Sox force a deciding 5th game with Cleveland in their first-round AL playoff series with a 23-7 win. It's the most runs ever scored in a postseason game...

2003) Rush Limbaugh announces that he was addicted to painkillers as he checks into a rehab center...

2004) Christopher Reeve dies at 52 (feature story)...

Happy Birthday to...

1946) Ben Vereen...

1950) David Lee Roth...

1958) Tanya Tucker...

1961) Julia Sweeney...

1969) Brett Favre...

Commentary...

Christopher Reeve was born in New York City, the son of a novelist and a newspaper reporter...He appeared on "Love of Life" while attending Cornell University in his senior year. Selected one of 2 students to attend the prestigious Julliard School, he studied under John Houseman...The other student selected was...Robin Williams, a lifelong friend...

Reeve debuted on Broadway in 1976 in "A Matter of Gravity" opposite Katharine Hepburn...He later starred in "Fifth of July", playing a disabled Vietnam veteran...

One of Reeve's final quotes: "I refuse to allow a disability to determine how I live my life. I don't mean to be reckless but setting a goal that seems a bit daunting actually is very helpful toward recovery"...

Christopher Reeve was a model for all of us to emulate...