Goodbye, Superman

Christopher Reeve passed away.

To a lot of people my age, Christopher Reeve is synonymous with Superman. So there's a chunk of this which is just "thanks for the memories" to an icon.

But mostly, it's because I can only remember two celebrities who have ever made me so hopeful I cried. One was Cal Ripken. The other was Christopher Reeve.

Here's a guy who got one of the rawest deals you can get. Yet he absolutely, manifestly refused to give up. I remember him doing one of the morning shows, and showing Katie Couric (or somebody) that he could actually tap his index finger again. It was one finger, and it seemed full of strength, full of pride. And here, in this incredibly little thing, was a man of great courage, triumphing. A man proving that where there's will, there's hope.

It made me cry then. And it makes me cry now.

Thanks for the lesson, Mr. Reeve. May choirs of angels sing thee to thy rest.