Today is Christopher Reeve's birthday. He would have been 59 years old.
In my eyes, Chris is, and always will be the definitive Superman. I'm a fan of a lot of various characters, and I've seen a lot of actors take a stab at portraying those characters, but no one has been able to embody the spirit and essence of any character, like Christopher Reeve. For proof of that, all you need to do is watch video, or ready articles about how he fought so diligently for those who couldn't fight for themselves.
When Chris was paralyzed, it literally broke my heart. My hero, my idol - Superman, was now confined to a wheelchair and unable to move any part of his body. When you're a kid, and you see someone you have so much admiration for, in such a helpless state, it can really have an effect on you. For the longest time, it made me so sad to see him on TV, or in magazines in his (then) current condition.
What he did following his accident, is nothing short of heroic. Instead of waste away, and feel sorry for himself, Chris campaigned and worked so hard to give a voice to those who remained voiceless for so long. Through his tireless efforts, and the creation of the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation, he was able to help countless amounts of people. If that's not a hero, then I don't know what is.
Embodying a character on screen is one thing. But to go above and beyond that, and really embody the character when the cameras aren't rolling, is something entirely different. Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster may have created Superman, but it was Reeve who brought life to him, and showed us that superheroes can be real.
I never met the man, but I love him. I miss him. And I sincerely hope I live to see the day, when all of Superman's work finally pays off.
Happy birthday, Chris.
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