King for a lifetime, fool for a... lifetime...

Really sad news about the death of Christopher Reeve. Usually, I'm not one to get upset about the death of a celebrity. Their death is no different to me than, say, that of my neighbor's. Though the attention they get for it would suggest they matter more. I don't believe that. But I do believe that Reeve transcended his status after his horse-riding accident. He was a beacon of hope and provided tangible motivation to make scientific break-throughs. He put a human face on what we have been both able and unable to achieve in the medical community. Now that he's gone, we can't help but feel a little demoralized. However, his legacy extends far beyond his star-making role. For all the "oh my god, I can't help but overreact and be incredibly serious about everything because Christopher Reeve of all people is in a wheel chair" hoopla, the man really did inspire. I mean that sincerely. I'm telling you, people: stem cell research. We need it.

R.I.P.