It was A Magical Evening at the Marriott Marquis as dinner chairs Francine LeFrak and Rick Friedberg, Hon. Brendan Byrne, Darlene Daggett, and Peter and Eaddo Kiernan joined the Christopher Reeve Foundation in celebrating the lives of Christopher and Dana Reeve, raising $2.5 mil. The event, co-hosted by Harvey Fierstein and Bebe Neuwirth, was the foundation's first benefit without the beautiful Dana, who lost her battle with lung cancer.

Guests enjoyed cocktails, dinner and dancing, and an all-star Broadway tribute featuring Donny Osmond (who coaxed Nathan Lane onstage for a Beauty and the Beast serenade, followed by Osmond pulling Lane onto his knee for a mock marriage proposal); Bob Dylan and Twyla Tharpe's The Times They Are A-Changin' cast members; and the Jersey Boys (who crooned the national anthem).

Barbara Walters gave a speech in which she mentioned that the Reeve's son, Will (all grown up and standing tall at 5'11"), was a "mean hockey player." (Walters, Michael Douglas, and Christopher all share the same birthday-and we had the pleasure of playing private photog at one of their group b-day parties.)

We spotted Will later enjoying himself on the dance floor, and couldn't help but think how well-adjusted he must be to understand that life goes on despite tragic loss. What an inspiration!

In another heartwarming moment, three-year-old Chase Ford walked across the stage (with a walker) and brought the crowd to its feet for an emotional standing ovation. The courageous boy hit his head as a baby after falling off a couch, and was once told by doctors that he would be confined to a wheelchair. The Christopher Reeve Foundation has helped Chase get back on his feet.

Matthew and Alexandra (Christopher's children from a previous relationship) were also in the mix, along with Meryl Streep, Joan Collins and Percy Gibson, Callie Thorne, Olivia Wilde, Cynthia and Tony Maltese, Chie Imai, Andrea Stark, Cristina Carlino, Hon. Thomas Kean, Bruce Ratner, Lisa Brescia, Henry Aronson, Miss USA Tara Connor, Kathy Lewis, Josh Strickland, and Jenn Gambatese.

For more information on how to help, visit ChristopherReeve.org.