Christopher Reeve presents Parents Weekend keynote address

By Mary Jo Curtis

Actor/director Christopher Reeve, the parent of a Brown senior, delivered the Parents Weekend keynote address to more than 1,300 parents and students on Oct. 26. The father of three, Reeve urged parents to be courageous enough to allow their children the freedom to find their personal passion in life — a passion that will sustain them in times of adversity, as his love of acting has sustained him.

College, he said, should be a time of trying new things and "being able to fail without serious consequence." He added, "I admire the courage of young adults who can turn to us and say, I’m still looking."

Reeve said he’s watched his own son "blossom" while exploring new areas of interest within Brown’s independent curriculum. "What a relief this University has provided him with the opportunity to find his passion," he said.

While answering questions from the audience, Reeve made a pitch for support of embryonic stem cell research. "A miracle has occurred," he said of scientists’ recent work. "It’s so amazing and so profound, yet so divisive in our culture — for reasons I don’t think are legitimate."

Fertility clinics throw away unwanted embryos by the thousands, he said. "They’re going into the garbage when they could be used to save lives.… In the absence of strong leadership in government, we need a grassroots movement" to allow scientists to continue their work.

He also spoke of the continuing search for a cure for spinal cord injuries, reporting that he works with a physical therapist daily to keep himself healthy enough to benefit from future advances. "Scientists and patients have to do an equal amount of work.… We need bravery on both sides," he said. "I’m moving parts of my body that are theoretically impossible — I love doing that."