R. I. P. CHRISTOPHER REEVE

[Steve]

Superman actor dies, 52

Christopher Reeve, the star of the Superman movies paralysed in a near-fatal riding accident nine years ago, has died of heart failure, his publicist said. He was 52.

Reeve, who became an advocate for spinal cord research after the 1995 accident that left him paralysed from the neck down, fell into a coma on Saturday after going into cardiac arrest while at his New York home and died yesterday, publicist Wesley Combs said.
Reeve was being treated at Northern Westchester Hospital for a pressure wound that he developed, a common complication for people with paralysis.

In the past week, the wound became severely infected, resulting in a serious systemic infection.

"On behalf of my entire family, I want to thank Northern Westchester Hospital for the excellent care they provided to my husband," Dana Reeve, Reeve's widow, said in a statement.

"I also want to thank his personal staff of nurses and aides, as well as the millions of fans from around the world who have supported and loved my husband over the years."

[mortal]

A great man. Rest in peace brother.

[zachsan]

a super man.

[lester1/2jr]

“Today, we 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. We send our prayers to his loving wife and steadfast partner Dana, his children, and the entire Reeve family. He was an inspiration to all of us and gave hope to millions of Americans who are counting on the life-saving cures that science and research can provide. He met every challenge with a courage and character that broke new ground in this struggle. As Christopher once said, ‘So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then they seem improbable, and then when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable.’ Because he had the strength to carry this cause, I know one day that we will realize that inevitable dream.”

[doc]

Nine years living like that. He's already been in hell.

Ironically, his having money and uncommonly available medical support probably made his life more miserable, by prolonging it. Most people in his condition don't live as long, in fact, some die of pneumonia or sepsis (skin or urinary) relatively soon after their injury.

[lester1/2jr]

who's going to die next? it usually happens in 3's

[zachsan]

i'd be interested in hearing our good conservative Doc's feelings on stem cell research. then again, he doesn't really come off as the particularly religious kind of conservative...

[lester1/2jr]

stem cells have some bipartisn support because it's less of a moral issue (no sex involved) than, say, abortion

[doc]

I'm all for it. I personally see nothing wrong with it. I do have a problem with people having false hopes, such as Reeve had. There's no proof that stem cell experimentation will ever lead to spinal cord recovery, at least in the near (or distant) future. "Rewiring" the spinal cord is like a scuba diver without a mask on the ocean bed trying to resplice a transected transoceanic communications cable.

But then again, it's a horrible way to live, and I guess if hope is the only way you can make such an existance tolerable, then so be it.

Stem cell research has a lot more possibilities with respect to bone marrow cancers, and some neurological disorders. By all means, they should explore it.

[lester1/2jr]

interesting. I don't know much about it. It seems creepy to me, honestly. But then again I don't have cancer so it's easy for me to say.