# Death of Superman? Drudge is reporting that Christopher Reeves has died. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 11, 2004, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-of-superman-drudge-is-reporting-that-christopher-reeves-has-died/268583 "2004-10-11T05:05:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-of-superman-drudge-is-reporting-that-christopher-reeves-has-died/268583/21 "2004-10-11T06:12:27Z")
> [@Ranchoth](#): > > [Goodnight, sweet prince.](http://www.foresakor.com/supes137.jpg) So … Superman had a pet bird? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Kobaltblu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/77aa72/32.png) [@Kobaltblu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobaltblu)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-of-superman-drudge-is-reporting-that-christopher-reeves-has-died/268583/22 "2004-10-11T06:33:11Z")
This is so sad. Well, I never knew him personally, but he was one of the good guys. I hate hearing when one of the good ones passes away. The amount of good in this world is lessened because of it. It’s good that his pain and struggles are over. I recall hearing a quote from him after he’d been in recovery for a long time from his accident, where he said it was such a shame because he’d been starting to like his face now that he’d gotten older, and was looking forward to character parts. ---
**Author:** ![Keapon\_Laffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e274bd/32.png) [@Keapon\_Laffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keapon_Laffin)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-of-superman-drudge-is-reporting-that-christopher-reeves-has-died/268583/23 "2004-10-11T06:40:02Z")
:eek: Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!! ☹☹☹ ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-of-superman-drudge-is-reporting-that-christopher-reeves-has-died/268583/24 "2004-10-11T06:46:41Z")
I can’t even begin to say how sad I feel that he has passed. I didn’t know him, of course, just admired him. ☹☹ I’ll be thinking of his family. ---
**Author:** ![Wearia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/13edae/32.png) [@Wearia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wearia)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-of-superman-drudge-is-reporting-that-christopher-reeves-has-died/268583/25 "2004-10-11T06:49:59Z")
☹ ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-of-superman-drudge-is-reporting-that-christopher-reeves-has-died/268583/26 "2004-10-11T07:43:43Z")
He’s at rest, but – damn, this is so sad. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-of-superman-drudge-is-reporting-that-christopher-reeves-has-died/268583/27 "2004-10-11T11:16:07Z")
I really believed he’d get up out of that chair and walk one day if on sheer willpower alone. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-of-superman-drudge-is-reporting-that-christopher-reeves-has-died/268583/28 "2004-10-11T12:05:24Z")
I saw Christopher Reeve when he did fifth of July on Broadway, and later talked with him outside the theatre. He was very willing to talk and seemed pleased to meet his fans. A great actor who withstood great tragedy with grace and hope. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-of-superman-drudge-is-reporting-that-christopher-reeves-has-died/268583/29 "2004-10-11T12:19:45Z")
> [@](#): > > I really believed he’d get up out of that chair and walk one day if on sheer willpower alone. _Mein Fueher! I can walk!_ [sub]Sorry.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-of-superman-drudge-is-reporting-that-christopher-reeves-has-died/268583/30 "2004-10-11T12:50:39Z")
I was terrified, because I turned on the news this morning just in time to hear, " . . . died of a heart attack yesterday in his New York home. His doctors and family were shocked, because he’d been doing so well. This is a terrible loss to the whole country . . ." and I’m standing there, my heart in my mouth, going, “_Oh no, not Bill Clinton not Bill Clinton not Bill Clinton_ . . .” and I was actually relieved when they started talking about his career as Superman. Very sad, but hardly unexpected. His poor family can get on with grieving and have lives again now—the last nine years have been as hard on them as they were on him. ---
**Author:** ![Heloise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e36b37/32.png) [@Heloise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heloise)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-of-superman-drudge-is-reporting-that-christopher-reeves-has-died/268583/31 "2004-10-11T13:15:05Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > Very sad, but hardly unexpected. His poor family can get on with grieving and have lives again now—the last nine years have been as hard on them as they were on him. I understand the sentiment, **Eve** , but disagree. Their lives weren’t over because of his illness. Dramatically changed, yes, but they didn’t stop living for nine years. And I have more respect for him for what he did with the remainder of his life, than what it was before the accident. I liked his movies, but his perseverance and endless hope were amazing. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-of-superman-drudge-is-reporting-that-christopher-reeves-has-died/268583/32 "2004-10-11T13:23:01Z")
The man had such hope, not just for himself but for others, that he gave them hope too. ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-of-superman-drudge-is-reporting-that-christopher-reeves-has-died/268583/33 "2004-10-11T13:33:33Z")
Generally, I don’t get worked up over celebrity deaths. There’s a lot of famous people in the world and, as the MPSIMS thread “Celebrity Death Pool” shows, _someone_ famous passes away on a fairly regular basis. But losing Christopher Reeve is different. Since his accident he has represented to me something special. Call is “Defiance”. Defiance of what fate has dealt him. Defiance of his physical condition. Defiance of the odds. He was challenging those odds and challenging the medical community to help. And, indirectly, challenging all of us to do better. I knew with certainty he would move his arms again. I knew he would somehow manage to move his legs again, perhaps even walk. All he had to do was survive, and the medical technology would be there for him, eventually. Alas, it is not to be. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-of-superman-drudge-is-reporting-that-christopher-reeves-has-died/268583/34 "2004-10-11T13:50:58Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > I’m standing there, my heart in my mouth, going, “_Oh no, not Bill Clinton not Bill Clinton not Bill Clinton_ . . .” and I was actually relieved when they started talking about his career as Superman. Like that eliminated Clinton? ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-of-superman-drudge-is-reporting-that-christopher-reeves-has-died/268583/35 "2004-10-11T14:03:08Z")
Man, that’s so depressing. He was such an optimist. My heart majorly goes out to his family (and to Robin Williams, who must also be devastated). I so wanted him to walk again. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-of-superman-drudge-is-reporting-that-christopher-reeves-has-died/268583/36 "2004-10-11T14:04:57Z")
> [@Ponder Stibbons](#): > > I knew with certainty he would move his arms again. I knew he would somehow manage to move his legs again, perhaps even walk. All he had to do was survive, and the medical technology would be there for him, eventually. > > Alas, it is not to be. ☹ Actually he was able to move his legs again in water when he was supported. While it’s hardly a recovery, it got my hopes majorly up. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-of-superman-drudge-is-reporting-that-christopher-reeves-has-died/268583/37 "2004-10-11T14:09:03Z")
> [@KGS](#): > > Just last night I was watching _[Noises Off!](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0105017/)_ and thinking what a shame it was that John Ritter’s dead. Now I’ve got _two_ people to think about while watching that movie. Shit. Three if you count Denholm Elliot. (At least Carol Burnett is still going strong- I couldn’t care much less when Lucy died, but that’s a funny lady that I’ll go into seclusion for.) ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-of-superman-drudge-is-reporting-that-christopher-reeves-has-died/268583/38 "2004-10-11T14:46:54Z")
I too was so very sad to hear this news. And I am not one to tear up about celebrities I’ve never met. (Tho I’m sure I’ll cry someday over Jimmy Carter, not Bill Clinton). Anyway, I am very very saddened, for the reasons mentioned by most of the other posters. ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-of-superman-drudge-is-reporting-that-christopher-reeves-has-died/268583/39 "2004-10-11T15:26:21Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Man, that’s so depressing. He was such an optimist. My heart majorly goes out to his family (and to Robin Williams, who must also be devastated). I so wanted him to walk again. Robin Williams?!? Wha…? Aside from confusion over this, I am deeply saddened by this. I have rarely seen such selfless courage. What a sad day. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2004, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-of-superman-drudge-is-reporting-that-christopher-reeves-has-died/268583/40 "2004-10-11T15:40:31Z")
Williams & Reeve first met while they were both students at Juillard, and were lifelong friends. Williams called Reeve “the brother I never had.” Reeve credited Williams’s friendship and humor with helping him after the accident. They were very, very close lifelong friends, and Williams must be really, really hurting at Reeves’s sudden death. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-of-superman-drudge-is-reporting-that-christopher-reeves-has-died/268583.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-of-superman-drudge-is-reporting-that-christopher-reeves-has-died/268583.md?page=3)