Christopher D'Olier Reeve was an American actor, film director, producer, screenwriter, author, and activist. He achieved stardom for his acting achievements, in particular his motion picture portrayal of the comic book superhero Superman. Reeve appeared in other critically acclaimed films such as Street Smart and The Remains of the Day. He received a Golden Globe nomination for his performance in the television remake of Rear Window. On May 27, 1995, Reeve became a quadriplegic after being thrown from a horse during an equestrian competition in Culpeper, Virginia. He was confined to a wheelchair and required a portable ventilator for the rest of his life. He lobbied on behalf of people with spinal cord injuries and for human embryonic stem cell research, founding the Christopher Reeve Foundation and co-founding the Reeve-Irvine Research Center.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Reeve