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Actor, Director and Activist Christopher Reeve Dies at Age 52

10/11/2004 1:35:00 AM

To: National Desk

Contact: Wesley Combs, 202-887-0500 ext. 14 wcombs@witeckcombs.com

Glynnis Breen, 202-887-0500 ext. 26, gbreen@witeckcombs.com

BEDFORD, N.Y., Oct. 11 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Christopher Reeve died suddenly at 5:30 p.m. yesterday of heart failure. He was 52 years old.

On Saturday October 9, Reeve fell into a coma after going into cardiac arrest while at home. Reeve was being treated for a pressure wound that he developed, a common complication for people living with paralysis. In the past week, the wound had become severely infected, resulting in a serious systemic infection. Reeve was admitted to Northern Westchester Hospital on Saturday evening and never regained consciousness. His family was at his side at the time of death.

Dana Reeve, Christopher's wife, issued this statement: "On behalf of my entire family, I want to thank Northern Westchester Hospital for the excellent care they provided to my husband. I also want to thank his personal staff of nurses and aides, as well as the millions of fans from around the world who have supported and loved my husband over the years."

"The family asks that you respect their privacy at this very difficult time, "said Wesley Combs, publicist for Mr. Reeve.

Reeve is survived by his mother Barbara Johnson and his father Franklin Reeve, his brother Benjamin Reeve, his wife Dana, their twelve year old son Will and his two children from a former relationship, Matthew (25) and Alexandra (21).

At this time, no plans for a funeral have been announced. Additional information will be released as soon as it is available. Please visit http://www.christopherreeve.org for the most up-to-date information.

For those who care to do so, the family has requested that donations be made in his honor to the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation -- http://www.ChristopherReeve.org. Cards may be sent to the family in care of the Foundation at 500 Morris Avenue, Springfield, NJ 07081.

http://www.usnewswire.com/

Reeve fell into a coma after going into cardiac arrest while at home. Reeve was being treated for a pressure wound that he developed, a common complication for people living with paralysis. In the past week, the wound had become severely infected, resulting in a serious systemic infection. Reeve was admitted to Northern Westchester Hospital on Saturday evening and never regained consciousness. His family was at his side at the time of death.

Note that the first statement is in no way linked to the second. The news outlets that interpreted this to mean he became comatose or otherwise incapacitated on Saturday are making a very large assumption - a word you can't spell without "ass."

Look up "systemic infection" and show me it can take you from chatty to room temperature in less than 24 hours.

The statement even said he had a Serious Systemic Infection for a week.

Let's see who else he called. Would Kerry be high on his list?