"Dana Reeve, an actress who became an advocate for the disabled after her husband Christopher Reeve became paralyzed, died on Monday night of lung cancer at the age of 44. . . Ms. Reeve, who did not smoke, announced last August that she had lung cancer. . . An actress and singer who had appeared in shows like "Law and Order" and "All My Children," Ms. Reeve took on an increasingly prominent role after her husband's paralysis in a horse riding accident in 1996. Together, they created the Christopher Reeve Foundation, which . . . [raised] and [distributed] over $55 million in research grants, much of it aimed at speeding the development of stem-cell treatments. Ms. Reeve became the foundation's chairwoman after her husband's death in 2004. She was responsible for developing the foundation's Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Resource Center, and for a program that has distributed more than $8 million for projects that improve the daily lives of people with paralysis. . . When Ms. Reeve announced her cancer, she said that "now, more than ever, I feel Chris with me as I face this challenge. I look to him as the ultimate example of defying the odds with strength, courage and hope in the face of life's adversities." [NY Times]
All I can think of is her poor son, Will, who lost his Dad in 2004 and now his Mom at age 13. At least he and his Mom would have had opportunities to discuss with whom he would live.
The past week I've been struck by a few untimely deaths locally and nationally. It is really making me stop and think. If I knew I was only going to live to be 40 or 45, how would that change how I live my life now? Sounds like a dark line of thinking, I know, but if it helps me focus on what's really important, it's worth it. Also, my spouse and I need to get wills in place and specific instructions for our child if something should happen to both of us. We may not want to think about the possibility, but we owe it to her to be responsible.
