Superman star Christopher Reeve wanted to die after being paralyzed in a horse riding accident in 1995
Christopher Reeve was one of the strongest men on the screen in his role as cult hero Superman.
But the actor wanted to die after he was paralyzed in a riding accident.
The star, who died in 2004 at the age of 52, suffered a life-changing spinal injury.
It happened when he fell from his horse during a horse riding competition in Virginia in 1995 and was unable to move from the neck down.
In the new documentary “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story” it is now revealed that after the accident he constantly thought about death.
In a trailer for the film, Reeve says: “(I thought) ‘I’ve ruined my life and everyone else’s. I’m not going to be able to ski, sail or throw a ball to (son) Will. I’m not going to be able to sleep with (wife) Dana. Maybe we should let me go.'”
Christopher Reeve was one of the strongest men on Hollywood’s screen in his role as the superhero Superman. But the actor wanted to die after he was paralyzed in a horse riding accident.
The star, who died in 2004 at the age of 52, suffered a life-changing spinal cord injury when he fell from his horse during a horse show in Virginia in 1995 and was unable to move from the neck down (pictured in 2002).
However, the actor admitted that the kind words of his wife Dana helped him change his mindset. He added: “And then she said the words that saved my life: ‘You’re still you. And I love you.'”
“Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story” opens in select theaters on September 21, with a repeat showing on September 25, Reeve’s birthday.
The new documentary includes interview footage from Christopher and Dana – who died in 2006 – and their three children Matthew, 44, Alexandra, 40, and Will, 32, as well as famous friends such as Whoopi Goldberg, Susan Sarandon, Jeff Daniels and Glenn Close.
The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January and Will Reeve said the family was thrilled with the end result.
At the screening, he told the audience: “We knew that if we were ever going to do this, it would have to be the right time and the right team. And that we would give out our archive and our private videos, make ourselves available for some raw and vulnerable interviews and then put all our faith in the team that had assembled around us and see what they would get back.”
“And the end result is remarkable, so our trust has definitely been rewarded.”
Super/Man features touching interviews with Reeves’ three children, Matthew, Alexandra and Will.
“We said goodbye, he waved,” Reeves’ son Matthew recalls in the trailer. “That was the last time I saw him on his feet.”
In the new documentary “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story” it is revealed that after the accident he constantly thought about death.
Christopher with one of his sons and his wife Dana in 2004
There is also a commentary from Dana, the actor’s late wife, who died of lung cancer in 2006.
The film, directed by Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January.
It moved the audience to tears.
The film features private video footage of the star as well as interviews with his children and fellow actors. Fans are shown how he rose to become one of Hollywood’s most popular stars.
It shows Reeves struggling with his “darkest thoughts” after his paralysis – he tells his wife Dana, “Maybe we should let me go,” to which Dana replies, “You’re still you and I love you.”
He later said, “When Dana whispered those life-saving words to me, it meant more to me than just a personal declaration of faith and devotion.”
Super/Man includes intimate interviews with Reeves’ three children, Matthew, Alexandra and Will. Seen in January
“In a sense, it was an affirmation that marriage and family are at the center of everything, and when both are intact, your universe is intact.”
A year after his accident, Reeve moved stars to tears in an unforgettable performance at the Oscars with a powerful montage in which he paid tribute to how Hollywood deals with social issues.
In the documentary, Glenn Close tells how Reeve was “terrified of dying at any moment” after his accident and how his close friendship with Robin Williams gave him strength.
Close said: “I always thought that if Chris was still here, Robin would still be alive.”
His son Will also tells how he lost both his parents within 18 months: “That was the moment. I’ve been alone ever since.”
Will, now a successful sports journalist, grew up with neighbors and close family friends.
During his career, he also appeared in other projects, including alongside Jane Seymour in “A Deadly Dream” (1980).
All three children work with the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, whose goal is to cure spinal cord injuries by promoting innovative research and improving the quality of life for individuals and families affected by paralysis.
The film celebrates the foundation’s legacy and ends with a quote from Reeve about what he believes makes a hero.
He said, “A hero is an ordinary person who, despite overwhelming odds, finds the strength to persevere and endure.”
Reeve portrayed the legendary superhero Superman in the films Superman (1978), Superman II (1980), Superman III (1983) and Superman IV: The World on the Brink (1987).
During his career, he also appeared in other projects, for example alongside Jane Seymour in “A Deadly Dream” (1980).
Seymour told People in March that Christopher was “an incredible guy.”
She added: “He was really smart, he was fearless and he loved being alone. He loved flying planes and sailboats and riding horses.”
“He used all his energy, all his intellect and all his visibility to really make a difference and get stem cell research going when nobody wanted it. Now it’s normal.”
