Here's a very sweet email I get just before Christmas from Kip Flanders:

I wrote a poem about Dana Reeve upon her death. I was moved to do so, as I watched her life unfold after Christoper's accident and death. I have had a number of people read it and received many suggestions to donate it to this organization. I would like to know if the Foundation would like to review it, and if deisred, possibly keep it for publication.

Dana Reeve, Christopher's wife, died on March 6, 2006. Here at the foundation she is know as the motivating force around the commitment we have made to caring for individuals living with parlaysis and their families.

Thanks Kip for sharing this with us.


In Memory of Dana Reeve:

A hero died today,
And the smile we loved has gone away.

She touched so many by her love,
As we watched her at his side.
When all our hopes possessed were dim,
Her strength became our guide.

She loved completely, devotion whole,
Unlike the multitudes who come and go.
She was different than the ones I know,
Total, complete, with Gods own soul.

A hero died today,
Compassions depth rarely reached.
Lessons that only she could teach.
I learned from her, life’s not fair,
Empowered I am, to choose to care.

Pristine elements enable,
One to love, bestow, confer,
All of me with no condition,
Free me from my inhibition,
The Universe’ prefer.

My hero died today, she wasn’t superhuman,
Rather, unmatched in spirituality.
Granted to a chosen few,
Like Gandhi, and rare others,
Who know just what to do.

God, infinite in all things,
We’re merely mortal beings.
And he grants us angels with whitened wings,
Then brings them home to sing.

The work they do, his legacy,
Propel me from my stillness.
When life has blocked my way,
Rays of hope eternal,
Lighting dark to day.

The heroes she created,
Touched by her compassion, love and grace.
Radiating from angelic face,
Now with purpose in their disabilities,
They move ahead with haste.

And I knew her, as we all did, from another time and place,
When the Sun and Moon were made.
And now she dwells among the Stars,
Her energy not to fade,
But rise to highest bar.

To grow in this dimension,
And teach us just, this one great lesson.
The love within, the one true gift,
And to give this love, can only lift.

As I reach out to the ones with less,
Whom I love and cherish more.
I was led to them directly,
By her actions from before.

This bequest from God above,
Paves my life with creator’s love.
Shielding me from the pain,
So I can love,
Thus live again.

Kip Flanders