A Note on Chris Reeve.
Oct. 11th, 2004 08:29 pmIt is not my way to take much notice of celebrity deaths. By and large if I didn't know someone personally, news of their death is not going to impact my day. At most, I cross them off a mental checklist of people of whose existence I am aware who happen to be sharing the planet with at the moment. And so it was with Chris Reeve.
Many others have been quite demonstrative in their reactions to his death. They have eulogized him well, noting both his achievements in film, with their concomitant cultural impact, as well as his achievements post-accident, where he has campaigned tirelessly for research and therapy for paraplegics.
There are some people whose paths I have crossed who seem not to believe that he should be lauded for this work. They say that since he himself was paraplegic, and he would have benefitted from any of the advances he campaigned for, his work was selfish and unworthy of praise.
With these people I am wroth.
Reeve could have done one of three things with himself after his accident. He was dealt a card that for many lesser men would have been a certain invitation to despair.
He did not succumb to that despair, give up hope, and surrender his will to live.
He did not become a hermit, too proud to allow his public to see him in anything less than his former glory.
He did do everything he could do to help himself and others over the tremendous hurdle that had been set in his path. Even if it wasn't an act of pure altruism, it took a hell of a lot more intestinal fortitude than most of us will ever have to muster in our lives. And in summoning that fortitude in the face of obstacle we pray we never encounter, Chris Reeve did, indeed, demonstrate that hope is something that can be pursued regardless of how the deck is stacked against you.
Yes, Reeve had fame and fortune on his side. But instead of using those assets to assure his own best care alone, and to hell with anyone else, he leveraged them to put himself in a position where he could do the most good, and where the world could derive some small benefit from his tragedy. He dedicated his life to tikkun olam, repair of the world, and from such actions, all people benefit. Christopher Reeve was not just Superman, he was a mensch as well. And I feel privileged to have shared the planet with him.
Many others have been quite demonstrative in their reactions to his death. They have eulogized him well, noting both his achievements in film, with their concomitant cultural impact, as well as his achievements post-accident, where he has campaigned tirelessly for research and therapy for paraplegics.
There are some people whose paths I have crossed who seem not to believe that he should be lauded for this work. They say that since he himself was paraplegic, and he would have benefitted from any of the advances he campaigned for, his work was selfish and unworthy of praise.
With these people I am wroth.
Reeve could have done one of three things with himself after his accident. He was dealt a card that for many lesser men would have been a certain invitation to despair.
He did not succumb to that despair, give up hope, and surrender his will to live.
He did not become a hermit, too proud to allow his public to see him in anything less than his former glory.
He did do everything he could do to help himself and others over the tremendous hurdle that had been set in his path. Even if it wasn't an act of pure altruism, it took a hell of a lot more intestinal fortitude than most of us will ever have to muster in our lives. And in summoning that fortitude in the face of obstacle we pray we never encounter, Chris Reeve did, indeed, demonstrate that hope is something that can be pursued regardless of how the deck is stacked against you.
Yes, Reeve had fame and fortune on his side. But instead of using those assets to assure his own best care alone, and to hell with anyone else, he leveraged them to put himself in a position where he could do the most good, and where the world could derive some small benefit from his tragedy. He dedicated his life to tikkun olam, repair of the world, and from such actions, all people benefit. Christopher Reeve was not just Superman, he was a mensch as well. And I feel privileged to have shared the planet with him.
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rain_luong: Superman
