It’s been 20 years since we lost our beloved Superman star, Christopher Reeve. But with his memory still alive in our minds, a 2024 documentary titled Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story is revealing details about his devastating accident that left him paralyzed nine years before his untimely demise.
Featuring Reeve’s three children, Matthew, Alexandra, and Will, Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story showcased snippets of the actor’s free-spirited nature, which eventually led to his grotesque accident. Slated to release in theaters in September 2024, the documentary from Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui, moved much of its audience to tears with Reeve’s intimate home movies and an extraordinary trove of personal archive material.
Christopher Reeve: A Versatile Actor and Adventure Enthusiast
Delving into the early life of Christopher Reeve, right after he shot to fame with his iconic portrayal of Superman, Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui’s documentary showcases the unprecedented side of the actor through archive materials and extended interviews of his three children. Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story reveals how Reeve captivated audiences with his remarkable acting range and charisma.
But, apart from the diverse array of roles that demonstrated his versatility, the documentary also shed the spotlight on how Christopher Reeve embraced an adventurous lifestyle. Through an interview with the actor’s son Matthew Reeve, the trailer snippet highlighted the actor’s passion for activities spanning from “riding bikes, playing soccer, skiing” and more.
My dad was very competitive and he didn’t necessarily slow down. Alexandra Reeve stated.
So it seems that Christopher Reeve was indeed the Superman, who not only had the talent for embodying complex characters but also had a sense of adventure and passion for life. But sadly, Reeve’s adventurous lifestyle is what played a significant role in changing the trajectory of his life.
The Horse-Riding Accident That Irrevocably Changed Christopher Reeve’s Life
On May 27, 1995, Christopher Reeve’s life was irrevocably altered during an equestrian competition in Culpeper, Virginia. What was intended to be a routine event took a tragic turn when Reeve was thrown from his horse and landed on his forehead, which broke the first and second vertebrae in his neck, resulting in a severe spinal cord injury that left the star completely paralyzed from the neck down.
The accident came as a devastating blow not only to Christopher Reeve but also to his family and legions of fans. According to veteran horse trainer Lisa Reid, who witnessed Reeve’s May 27 ride, told People how the disaster happened. Revealing how initially it all started fine, Reid mentioned how suddenly the synergy between horse and rider dissolved and ended up in a devastating accident.
The horse was coming into the fence beautifully. The rhythm was fine and Chris was fine, and they were going at a good pace. [But then] the horse put his front feet over the fence, but his hind feet never left the ground. [And] Chris is such a big man. He was going forward, his head over the top of the horse’s head. He had committed his upper body to the jump. But the horse –whether it chickened out or felt Chris’s weight over its head, I don’t know. But the horse decided, ‘I can’t do this.’ And it backed off the jump.
Thereafter, losing balance, hitting his head on the rail fence, and landing on the turf on his forehead, Christopher Reeve broke the cervical vertebrae in his spinal column, those closest to the skull. This grievous injury thereafter left the actor paralyzed, unable to use any of his limbs or even to breathe without the aid of a respirator. The profound impact of his accident left Reeve heartbroken, who almost wanted to end his life.
I had ruined my life and everybody else’s. I won’t be able to ski, sail, throw a ball to Will, won’t be able to make love to Dana. Maybe you should let me go. Reeve was heard saying in an archive track used in the documentary.
She [Dana Reeve] confined in and she just yelled, ‘I love you, I love you’ Alexandra Reeve recalled.
And then she [Dana Reeve] said the words that saved my life, ‘You’re still you and I love you.’ Christopher Reeve recited his wife’s remarks.
Thankfully, Christopher Reeve’s wife, Dana, intervened and helped the actor gain the willpower to not just survive but live. After becoming a quadriplegic, Reeve turned into a charismatic leader and activist in the quest to find a cure for spinal cord injuries.
Christopher Reeve’s Demise Marked the End of an Era
Unfortunately, despite Christopher Reeve’s utmost passion and dedication to his activism and work, the actor’s life was tragically cut short on October 10, 2004, nearly a decade after his debilitating accident. The nine years following his injury were marked by both personal and public battles. Despite his initial hopefulness and vigorous campaigning for medical research, Reeve’s health deteriorated due to complications from the injury, including an adverse reaction to a drug and subsequent respiratory issues.
The actor’s demise was a profound loss to the world, as he had become an inspirational figure through his courageous fight and unyielding spirit. Meanwhile, despite his death, the legacy of Reeve’s indomitable will and his contributions to medical science continued to resonate and got transformed into a poignant reminder in the new documentary, Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story.
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story is slated to release on September 21, 2024.
