The premiere of the A&E movie The Brooke Ellison Story, the final project of the late Christopher Reeve, was bitter-sweet for its stars and supporters, who gathered at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall to pay homage to him-the film's director and executive producer. The premiere came in the wake of the untimely death of the actor and spinal-cord research advocate, who passed away just 10 days earlier at the age of 52 from heart failure caused by a systemic infection (due to his paralysis).
Reeve, who is best known for playing the title role in the Superman trilogy, is survived by his wife, Dana, and their son, Will, 12 (both of whom have bit parts in the film); his parents Barbara Johnson and Franklin Reeve; his brother, Benjamin; and his two children (with Gae Exton), Matthew, 25, and Alexandra, 21.
Reeve gave new meaning to the word hero after a 1995 equestrian accident left him a quadriplegic. Over the past decade, this man of steel has been an outspoken and tireless lobbyist for stem cell research, and has funded neuroscientists, through the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation, to develop treatments and cures for paralysis. Recently, through therapy and electrical stimulation, Reeve was able to spend more time off a ventilator, move an index finger, and had recovered feeling in some parts of his body. He was determined to someday walk again.
"After my injury and when I made the switch from acting into directing, I thought it would be a good thing for me to tell one really good story about an ordinary, American family dealing with a devastating event, such as the spinal cord injury of a young child," Reeve said.
Based on the book, Miracles Happen: One Mother, One Daughter, One Journey (Hyperion, 2002), by Brooke and Jean Ellison, The Brooke Ellison Story tells the tragic tale of a girl, who, at age 11, was struck by a car and paralyzed from the neck down, unable to breathe on her own. The love of Brooke's family and the 24/7 companionship of her mother (who attended classes with her from eighth grade on), helped her overcome seemingly insurmountable odds. Now 25, Brooke has graduated with honors from Harvard and is working on her doctorate at SUNY Stonybrook.
Honoring Reeve's legacy at the film's premiere: Lacey Chabert, Vanessa Marano, longtime Reeve pal Glenn Close, and Brooke Ellison. The Sheet sends condolences to the family of Christopher Reeve. The courage and bravery of this seemingly invincible man will inspire us, always, to reach for the stars.
