On September 21 select theaters throughout the states will be showing Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story. In the new documentary, viewers will gain a glimpse into the life of the on-screen Superman after he was left paralyzed from a horrific equestrian accident.
The documentary consists of intimate footage shared by the Reeve’s family, interviews with his three children and late wife, Dana, conversations with friends, as well as audio clips of the late superhero. In fact, even though it is nearly 20 years since the actor passed away, viewers will feel totally immersed in his story, as if the events were happening today.
The movie is particularly poignant when you see the family’s unfailing support for the action-loving Reeves — who particularly loved to ski, sail, fly and ride horses. Yet that one accident left the then 42-year-old questioning his desire to live, as he later recounted:
“‘I ruined my life and everybody else’s. I won’t be able to ski, sail, throw a ball to Will. Won’t be able to make love to Dana. Maybe we should let me go.'”
He went on to share:
“And then she said the words that saved my life: ‘You’re still you. And I love you,’ “
Dana’s undying love didn’t just save him, it spurred him on. Reeve fought, and fought, to live, even though his life would be radically different. He exercised for hours each with machines that would stimulate his muscles. And after a few years he was able to move his fingers slightly, eventually part of his arms and legs, and was able to feel different temperatures on 65 percent of his body — a development that doctors put down to his hard work on the machines.
Glad to be alive
Although Reeve would require care 24/7 with a team of 10 carers, he had a renewed taste for life. According to his book Nothing is Impossible: Reflections on a New Life, two years after his accident he shared he was “glad to be alive, not out of obligation to others, but because life was worth living.”
Reeve eventually died from heart failure at the age of 52, 10 years after his accident, and his wife died just two years later from lung cancer, but in that precious decade they put all their efforts into actively campaigning for the disabled, and setting up a foundation to help find treatment and cures for those suffering from spinal cord injuries and paralysis.
They also inspired many with their love and dedication to each other, and the way they embraced the new life they’d found themselves living, far from the Hollywood glamor.
At a time when new legislation for euthanasia is being considered in certain countries, the original superman’s story is truly inspirational. It reminds us of the importance to fight for life, and to make the most of the life we’ve been given.
And today we celebrate...