“You’re Still You”: The Love and Heartbreak of Christopher Reeve’s Final Years with Wife Dana

When Christopher Reeve died in October 2004 at 52, people didn’t just lose the actor who played Superman — they lost a man who showed what real strength looks like after his life changed forever. In May 1995, a horse-riding accident left him paralyzed from the neck down.

From that moment, he had to rely on incredible determination — and on the love and support of his wife, Dana, and their young son, Will. Together, they faced huge challenges.

How They Met

Christopher met Dana Morosini in 1987 at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in Massachusetts. They quickly fell in love. A friend who saw Christopher watching Dana perform said it looked like he was thunderstruck.

They got married in April 1992 and had their son, Will, two months later. For a few happy years, they lived a quiet life away from the spotlight.

“You’re Still You”

After the accident, Christopher was in such bad shape that he thought about ending his life. But Dana told him something that made all the difference:

“I will support whatever you want to do, because this is your life and your decision. But I want you to know that I’ll be with you. You’re still you. And I love you.”

Those words helped him choose to keep going. Dana stood by him every day. She stopped her acting career to take care of him and never thought of herself as his nurse — she was his wife and partner.

Fighting for a Cure — and Each Other

Christopher and Dana decided they wouldn’t let the accident stop them from trying to help others. They started the Christopher Reeve Foundation, which later became the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. It raises money for spinal cord injury research and helps people living with paralysis.

Christopher used his fame to talk about the need for more research and better care. Dana supported him every step of the way. When he was feeling low, she lifted him up. When he felt hopeful, she was right there with him.

Losing Christopher

On October 10, 2004, Christopher died suddenly of heart failure caused by his paralysis. Dana and Will were heartbroken. In her journals, Dana wrote about how lonely she felt without him, even in everyday moments like folding warm laundry:

“I miss most even now his hands, the warmth of them, the way they held me. I carry the towels upstairs, wishing he was there.”

Another Tragedy

Less than a year after Christopher’s death, Dana got very sick. Even though she never smoked, she was diagnosed with lung cancer in August 2005. She thought it might have come from singing in smoky clubs earlier in her life. Dana died on March 6, 2006, at just 44 — only 17 months after Christopher. Their son Will was only 13 and had lost both parents.

Will Reeve grew up to become a journalist and works at ESPN. He talks openly about his parents’ story and tries to continue their work through the foundation. He says he still feels their love guiding him:

“They were superheroes, not just on screen, but in the way they loved each other and the way they loved me.”