When I was in 7th grade, one of my favorite heros of all time stepped onto the silver screen. "Superman - The Movie" was a top draw at the box office, soon to compete with another hero of mine, Capt. James T. Kirk. It's no surprise that Christopher Reeve made the 1978 movie a smash hit, bringing along with him, Margot Kidder (Chris's request) and the two of them made movie magic.
I know you've probably read/heard a lot about "The Man of Steel" since Monday morning's news of his tragic death. I didn't know how to take it at first. But I have a different take on his story. You see, I'm a Paraplegic. Look that term up if you don't know what it means. Usually, it's a condition that makes the victom unable to use two limbs. In my case, I'm physically paralyzed from the chest-level, down. I have no movement in my legs, no feelings, no sensations at all (except for what's called "Phantom Pains", the burning sensation you feel when your arm or hand falls asleep).
Chris Reeve's death couldn't have come at a worse time. The polititions are going to make this event the platform they either win by, or lose by (imoho).
Here's what I call a winner in the political arena. Someone who Won't use the timely death of an American Icon to further their political ideals.
However it comes about, there Will be a cure for paralysis. But now, I think the cure is farther off that it would've been if Mr. Reeve had not died. His fortitude in getting out there and beating it into the heads of those on Capitol Hill about how terrible it is to be paralyzed, to be trapped and limited by your own body, a terror I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy (save UBL, maybe). It's a lifetime of promises by scientists, relying on grant money from the US Government, backed by some astonishing breakthroughs in the area of cell regeneration and rehabilitation of the affected limbs.
I guess I was paralyzed too early for any hope of ever walking again. It happened to me back in 1981. I say "paralyzed too early" because there were really no scientists (or not many) working in the area of Spinal Cord research. Unless a scientist wanted to starve to death, it was a feild only of dreams.
As time went by, I gave up trying to find someone with answers and relinquished my legs to red tape. The government just simply did not see the use in funding something that they thought was fruitless. Time goes by. Now enters Christopher Reeve. An actor who was chosen for the right part at the right time. I Guarantee you, if he'd Not played Superman, Our cause (Spinal Cord Research) would still be in the stone ages. We'd still see people like me in wheelchairs begging congressmen/senators and the like to make research funding available for us so that we could have some glittering hope of ever being able to walk again.
When Chris got hurt, I cried. I knew what hell he had in store for him. I've lived it for 30 years. Only for him, it would be much worse than what I'd endured. He'd have to wake up in the middle of the night from dreams that his body was on fire. Headaches that felt like someone drilling out his parts of his brain. Waking up in a pool of sweat because his kidneys were infected, or maybe his breathing tube had come out of place, or the plethora of other death theats that face a Quadraplegic.
Yes, I cried for him. Now I cry again. Not only for him, but for the cause that he took upon himself to find a cure for people like us, me included. To put an end to the suffering of families to paralyis, weather it be from spinal cord injury or stroke or brain damage. He made it his Mission to make sure that people saw his face, accompanied by his wheelchair. He wanted America and it's government to see just how ugly this is. Being in a prison without bars, only stairs.

I urge each of you who read this, to pass what you may have learned on to someone else. I don't care if you link to my site or not. I just want the people of this nation, hell, of the World- to know that the Man of Steel, would probably have wanted us to raise hell at the dying of his light. Because it was Needless. They should put Red Tape on his grave. And encircle Capitol hill for a week with people like me, and show these bastards up there who pass the buck, that the Buck has stopped. And we're delivering it up into their offices, hallways and desktops, and we DEMAND that they not let Christopher Reeve's life's work for the last nine years be in vain.

I hope each of you become inspired to do something. Take out the trash, mow your lawn, clean the tops of your shelves. Tell your wife and children that you love them, unconditionally. Or, just go by Washington D.C. and shout out at the top of your lungs, "THIS IS BULLSHIT!"
Do it for yourselves. You never know when it's Your turn to sit and never get back up.
Tony Huddleston
TheLawnMowerMan