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This was written shortly after Superman actor Christopher Reeve died in October 2004
at the age of 52 following a cardiac arrest resulting from complications from his spinal chord injury.
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The Death of Superman
BY TARIQ KHONJI |
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I WAS surprised how much it saddened me to hear that Christopher Reeve died. There are very few celebrities that I really feel attached to and I don't mourn many of them, but Reeve is different. It really felt like losing somebody I knew. Thinking back, it's amazing how many of my childhood memories revolve around the 66-year-old Superman character and Reeve's portrayal of it in particular. Much more so than Mickey Mouse, Bugs Bunny or any of the other perennial favourites. I went on a holiday to India when I was around six years old and pretty much the only thing I can remember about the whole trip are the elephants and watching Christopher Reeve on the silver screen in Superman II. And I've been told that after watching the movie, Superman was pretty much all I talked about for years. My teachers in kindergarten told my mother that I would work Superman into every conversation or lesson they taught. “Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water… but you know, Superman can fly in space and he's got heat vision and he's invulnerable and…” Apparently I was quite popular with my classmates because of it too. And I admit that I also wore capes and pretended to fly around the house on more than one occasion. Yes, I know that he's done a lot to promote stem cell research and find a cure for paralysis but to me, like others of my generation, Christopher Reeve will always first and foremost be the hero of my childhood. I didn't follow much of his post-Superman work, although I've seen him in a remake of Rear Window, The Remains of the Day and the shocking Bump in the Night, where I just couldn't accept him in his role as a paedophile. He just looks too noble. I watched the first Superman film again the other day for, what, the 161st time? I got to the scene when Lois Lane falls from the skyscraper along with the helicopter and Superman flies up and catches both! At first I felt a scream of joy coming up … but it was kind of stopped by the lump in my throat…
(for large attatchments)
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