Dana Reeve
An actress and singer who became a pillar of strength, tirelessly advocating for spinal cord research after her husband's paralyzing accident.
1961–2006 (age 45)·American actress and singer·Birthday: March 17·Baby Boomers
Biography
Dana Reeve built a life in the arts, with a bright soprano voice and acting credits on stage and screen. Her story, however, became inextricably linked with one of profound caregiving and advocacy. After her husband, Christopher Reeve, was paralyzed in a 1995 horseback riding accident, she became his unwavering partner and voice. She managed his complex medical care, raised their young son, and stood steadfastly by his side as he became the world's most visible face of spinal cord injury. Following his death in 2004, she assumed the leadership of the Christopher Reeve Foundation, channeling her grief into fierce determination to find a cure. Tragically, just months after losing her husband, Dana was diagnosed with lung cancer, despite being a non-smoker. Her grace in facing this final challenge mirrored the courage she showed throughout her life, leaving a legacy defined by love, resilience, and an unshakeable commitment to hope.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Dana was born in 1961, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Dana Was Born
The biggest hits of 1961
#1 Movie
101 Dalmatians
Best Picture
West Side Story
#1 TV Show
Wagon Train
Dana's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1961Born
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1966Started school
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1974Became a teenager
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1977Could drive
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1979Could vote
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1982Turned 21
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1991Turned 30
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 40
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2006Died at 45
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
Key Achievements
- Served as Chair of the Christopher Reeve Foundation, significantly raising its profile and funding for paralysis research.
- Advocated successfully for the passage of the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Act, promoting research and rehabilitation.
- Performed on Broadway in shows like 'More to Love' and had recurring roles on television series such as 'Law & Order'.
- Co-authored the book 'Care Packages: Letters to Christopher Reeve from Strangers and Other Friends'.
Did You Know?
She was a talented singer who performed at Carnegie Hall and with the Boston Pops.
She and Christopher Reeve met in 1987 when they were both performing at the Williamstown Theatre Festival.
She was a founding member of the Creative Coalition, a nonprofit advocacy group for artists.
In 2005, she delivered the student address at the Cornell University graduation, her alma mater.
“I learned from Christopher that you can have a full, productive life even with a major disability. You just have to get up in the morning and get on with it.”
