Actor turned activist
discusses life
Superman to beat adversity
Actor turned activist
discusses life’s values in
visit to East Brunswick
By Sandi carpello
Staff Writer
Reeve
EAST BRUNSWICK — Waking up immobilized in a hospital bed, unable to breathe without a respirator, Christopher Reeve at first wanted to die.
Confronted with the verdict of life or death, his wife, Dana, told him to make an attempt at life. If he still wanted to end his life after two years, she promised she would let him go.
Standing before approximately 1,000 people at the East Brunswick Hilton last week, seven years after the 1995 equestrian accident in which he was paralyzed from the neck down, Reeve, a Princeton native, spoke about the power of positivism and life’s endless possibilities.
"People who are injured or sick or feel their life is directionless have to make a difference," he said. "Every forward move you make is important. Do not go down the road of negativity."
In his new book, Nothing Is Impossible: Reflections on a New Life, Reeve addresses aspects of successful living including humor, faith and hope, while also delving into issues such as parenting, recovery and religion. It includes anecdotes from his own life, with excerpts from speeches and interviews he’s done, and also includes photos taken by his son, Matthew.
Reeve gears his book for people with disabilities, as well as able-bodied individuals who may be distressed with mental, rather than physical, wounds.
"You have to shift perspective," he said. "If things go well, you have to think it could be gone in a second. That’s what happened to me."
Reeve, who recently celebrated his 50th birthday, spoke about the mind and body connection, emphasizing that a person’s thoughts can impact on their physical well-being. For example, he stresses the importance of laughing when things get really bad.
"The mind can make us sick, and the mind can help us get better," he said.
Reeve referred to a 1997 diagnosis that would have led to the amputation of his left leg. Reeve said he spent six months visualizing the leg becoming healed. Only eight months later, the doctor could not tell that there was anything wrong, he said.
Reeve has recently retrieved some sense of touch, and has learned to wiggle his left index finger, something doctors doubted he would be able to do. Although the odds are against it, Reeve said he is certain that one day he will be able to walk.
Since his accident, Reeve has established the landmark Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation, an organization committed to funding research for the development of treatments and cures for paralysis caused by spinal cord systems and other nervous system disorders.
In addition, Reeve has become a fixture on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., helping to pass the 1999 Work Incentives Improvement Act, a bill allowing people with disabilities to return to work and still receive disability benefits. Recently, Reeve implemented the introduction of the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Act of 2002, a bill to fund paralysis research.
Reeve urged his audience to fight for the advancement of embryonic stem cell research, which he believes could uncover a cure for many terminal diseases such as paralysis, leukemia and Alzheimer’s disease.
President George W. Bush’s sharp restriction on the advancement of stem cell research last year has stymied its progress, he said, noting that politicians need to imagine what it is like to be sick.
People have to fight in order for the research to progress, he said.
"There is nothing the government can do to stop the will of the people," he said.
Although Reeve still relies on a respirator to breathe, he exercises for nearly five hours a day, using special exercise equipment geared toward individuals with disabilities.
"I am not from Krypton. I am not larger than life. I have had a privileged life that makes people think I am impressive," said Reeve. "Anyone can do it. Don’t ever say something is definitive."
The event was co-sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Health Network and the Friends’ Health Connection, a New Brunswick-based nonprofit organization that provides customized, one-on-one support for individuals with health-related problems.
Past speakers for the Friends’ Health Connection have included Patch Adams, Deepak Chopra, and Dr. Andrew Weil.

