In a new documentary, Christopher Reeve has revealed the seven words his wife said to him that "saved his life" after the accident that paralyzed him.
Reeve, who first donned the cape as Superman in 1978 and reprised the role in three sequels, became a symbol of resilience after his accident.
The actor suffered a life-altering injury in 1995 during a horse riding event in Culpeper, Virginia.
While attempting a third jump, Reeve's horse hesitated, causing the actor to take a catastrophic fall.
He landed headfirst on the rail, severely injuring his neck and leaving him paralyzed from the neck down.
The new documentary, produced by DC Studios, had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January and will arrive in select theaters next month.
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story offers an emotional look at Reeve's rise to fame and his transformation into a tireless advocate for those affected by paralysis.
Check out the trailer below:His efforts included leading the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation and co-founding the Reeve-Irvine Research Center.
In previously unseen footage featured in the documentary, Reeve candidly recalls his mindset during the early stages of his recovery.
He admits it was his wife, Dana, who provided the strength he needed to continue.
"I ruined my life and everybody else’s. I won’t be able to ski, sail, throw a ball to Will. Won’t be able to make love to Dana. Maybe we should let me go," Reeve remembered thinking.
"And then she said the words that saved my life: ‘You’re still you. And I love you.’”
Following the accident, Reeve endured numerous hospital visits and extensive speech therapy as part of his recovery.
Reflecting on the experience during an interview with Oprah Winfrey, Reeve shared how his perspective on life shifted dramatically.
"Every day I'd get in my car and drive away and go, 'Thank God that's not me', I have to admit that," he confessed. "And then seven months later, I was in this condition."
Reeve continued: "In a way, I remember the smugness of that. As if I was privileged in some way, but the point is we're all one great big family and any one of us could get hurt at any moment. That taught me a really big lesson."
The documentary also features touching memories from Reeve’s son Matthew, 44, who recalls the last time he saw his father before the life-altering accident.
“We said goodbye, he gave this wave,” Matthew remembers. “That was the last time I saw him on his feet.”
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story includes interviews with Reeve’s three children— Matthew, Alexandra, 40, and Will, 32 — and his late wife Dana, who passed away in 2006 from lung cancer.
Reeve passed away in 2004 at the age of 52.
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story is set to release in select theaters on September 21.
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