Christopher Reeve is widely recognized for his iconic portrayal of Superman, a role that has become inseparable from his name. During his time working on the film Anna Karenina, Reeve developed a passion for horse riding that extended over almost a decade which influenced him to purchase his own horse named Buck.
However, his life took an unexpected and tragic turn when he suffered a devastating equestrian accident on May 27, 1995, when Buck refused a jump which later led to a catastrophic fall. The actor was not spared either, as the impact resulted in the shattering of two vertebrae, leaving him paralyzed from the neck down and dependent on a ventilator for breathing.
Christopher Reeve admits he had previously been grateful for not being paraplegic before his accident
In a 1998 interview on The Oprah Winfrey Show, the late actor mentioned that he had been frequenting a rehabilitation center supporting and treating individuals with disabilities so as to prepare for his role as a paralyzed police officer in the movie, Above Suspicion. He shared that with each of his visits, he was always grateful for not being in the condition, but a couple of months later, that was his new reality. “Every day I’d get in my car and drive away and go ‘Thank God that’s not me,'” Reeve admitted. “I have to admit that.”
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Reeve further stated that his accident taught him a lesson that no one is immune to tragic occurrences. “And then seven months later, I was in this condition,” he confessed. “And in a way, I remember the smugness of that. As if I was privileged in some way, but the point is we’re all one great big family, and any one of us could get hurt at any moment. We should never walk by somebody who’s in a wheelchair and be afraid of them or think of them as a stranger.”
Christopher reveals the reason why he became a passionate advocate for spinal cord injury research
During an interview with Ability Magazine in 1998, Reeve disclosed that his accident brought him to the realization that he had the obligation to raise awareness and support for those suffering from the same condition.
“Who knows why an accident happens? The key is what you do afterwards. There is a period of shock and then grieving with confusion and loss. After that, you have two choices. One is to stare out the window and gradually disintegrate,” he explained. “And the other is to mobilize and use all your resources, whatever they may be, to do something positive. That is the road I have taken.”