Topics: Superman, Celebrity, Film and TV
Footage from a new documentary shows Christopher Reeve revealing the seven words his wife Dana told him that saved his life.
The Superman actor suffered a life-changing horse riding accident in 1995 that left his paralyzed.
When approaching a third jump at an equestrian event in Culpeper, Virginia, the horse Reeve was riding hesitated, leading to the actor taking a nasty tumble.
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Reeve landed headfirst on the rail and damaged the bones in his neck, leaving him paralyzed from the neck down.
He died in 2004 at the age of 52.
Now, a documentary about the actor is releasing in the form of Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story.
The DC Studios-made documentary is set to arrive in selected theatres next month, telling the emotional story of how Reeve got the Superman gig and the challenges faces by his paralysis.
Old footage of Reeve speaking saw him recall his mindset during that initial recovery process, with it being his wife that helped him get through it.
"I 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 we should let me go," he said.
"And then she said the words that saved my life: ‘You’re still you. And I love you.’”
After the horrific accident, Reeve spent a lot of time in and out of hospital while also attending speech therapy.
Reflecting on his experience working at the rehab centre, Reeve told Oprah Winfrey: "Every day I'd get in my car and drive away and go, 'Thank God that's not me', I have to admit that.
"And then seven months later, I was in this condition."
He added: "And in a way, I remember the smugness of that.
"As if I was privileged in some way, but the point is we're all one great big family and any one of us could get hurt at any moment.
"That taught me a really big lesson."
After his devastating accident, Reeve dedicated much of his time to activism of disabilities and those affected by them.
Speaking with Ability Magazine in 1998, he said: "Who knows why an accident happens? The key is what do you do afterwards.
"There is a period of shock and then grieving with confusion and loss. After that, you have two choices. One is to stare out the window and gradually disintegrate.
"And the other is to mobilize and use all your resources, whatever they may be, to do something positive. That is the road I have taken."
