A week from Friday would have been Christopher Reeve’s 57th birthday. I bring it up nine days ahead of time because it happened again this morning. When I walk into the home office here in Short Hills, NJ and flip on the lights, this photo of Chris and Dana on the front desk often catches my eye. I’ll say, “Good morning, guys!” as I pass by — because even though I’ve never met them, I feel like I know them. And odder still, it feels like I could run into either one of them around the next corner.
As I head to my desk, I often think about how, if Chris didn’t go riding that day in May there would be no Foundation, no resource center, no Quality of Life grants, no research grants, not even a website.
Everyone who has come together — employees, scientists, volunteers; all the friendships formed and accomplishments achieved — they would all not exist. We’d all be doing something else right now. Living different lives. Having different priorities. And how different Chris’ life would have been, and his kids.
It all starts getting very Somewhere in Time.
Consider the enormity of it. One man’s instant in time has changed so many lives for years to come.
It empowers me.
One of my favorite quotes from Christopher:
“I gradually stopped wondering, ‘What life do I have?’ and began to consider, ‘What life can I build?’”
Rob
The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation
PS: When he was alive, one of the biggest successes we have ever had was asking people to sign an online birthday card for him on his 50th birthday. In that tradition, we have a place in our community you can leave your thoughts.
