Christopher Reeve’s Son Reveals the Strict Rule They Had at the Dinner Table After Their Dad’s Paralysis

The film chronicles his journey to stardom and the tragic 1995 horse-riding accident that left him paralyzed. Despite the life-altering injury, Christopher became a passionate advocate for spinal cord injury research and championed disability rights.

In addition to this, Christopher was a devoted father of three kids and a loving husband. Here is a glimpse into the family’s private life, particularly the strict dinner table rule enforced after the actor’s paralysis.

Christopher was resilient and dedicated to maintaining a strong family life despite his physical limitations. His adult children, Matthew, Alexandra, and Will candidly talked about his declining health in a recent interview on “Good Morning America.”

“There were days when he was getting major setbacks, devastating medical news. […] And he would let us see the hope and the disappointment,” Alexandra revealed.

She added that regardless of the constant bad news that her father received, he would still suggest that they go out for dinner as a family or go watch a movie.

As for his parenting style, Christopher had a hands-on approach to fatherhood, even after the accident. He even taught his youngest child Will how to ride a bike, despite his inability to walk.

Reflecting on this experience, Will described it as “remarkable.” During the interview, “GMA” played a clip showing young Will riding his bike as his parents watched on. Asked how he felt riding the bike, he answered, “Good!” as his proud father, who was wheelchair-bound then, chuckled.

Both Christopher and Dana had routines for the kids and this includes one main rule at the dinner table. Will revealed that regardless of the persistent bad news or even some good news, “Dinner was family time,” where the couple would ask about school.

He continued, “They sat at the head next to each other, my mom would feed him and herself.” The family of five would have friends come by and Will described that as a wholesome experience.

Every evening at dinner, no one was allowed to talk about “specific medical stuff,” Will disclosed about the number one rule during their family time together.

During that period, the family was able to laugh together despite the circumstances. Unfortunately, nine years later in 2004, Christopher’s health started to deteriorate and he slipped into a coma.

Recounting what happened around that time, Alexandra choked up as she remembered her stepmother Dana Reeve running toward her ailing spouse, yelling, “‘I love you, I love you’ over and over again, making sure he could hear that she was going to reach him,” shared Alexandra.

Will chimed in saying he was certain that a part of his beloved mother also died at that very moment as well. “I told him that I loved him. [That] I would do whatever I could to make him proud,” he recalled.

It was at that heart-racing moment that Christopher Reeve passed away due to heart failure at age 52 in October 2004. His wife Dana delivered a heart-wrenching message at his funeral, stating that she would “love, honor, and cherish him forever.”

Heartbreakingly, just ten months after the Hollywood star’s demise, his widowed spouse was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer despite never having smoked. Her son Will was only 12 years old at the time and the actress remembered how devastating she felt having to deliver the news to him.

“I thought how much can one little soul, bear,” she said. Being proactive, Dana amended her will and arranged for her child to live with the family of his best friend.

Sadly, seven months later in March 2006, the singer succumbed to the disease at the age of 44, leaving behind her then 13-year-old son, Will. “That’s when I realized I was completely alone,” he said in a recent interview.

However, he wasn’t entirely on his own. Will expressed deep gratitude for the overwhelming support he received from family and friends after the loss of both his parents.

He moved in with close neighbors, whom he described as best friends, and has lived with them for nearly 20 years, calling it an unexpectedly wonderful experience. His older half-siblings, Matthew and Alexandra, played a significant role in his life, offering not only guidance and love but also acting as parental figures.

During the “GMA,” he asked the two of them whether people also worried enough about them after Dana died. Alexandra responded by saying that was never an issue as it didn’t cross her mind either.

For her, the most important thing was to keep things going and ensure that her siblings were okay. Alexandra added she also thought of honoring the parents in the right way and setting Will up for success.

Meanwhile, for Matthew, his main focus was both his younger brother and sister in terms of how they carried themselves at the time and how they continue to do so to date.

He emphasized that everyone, including his grandparents, Charles and Helen Morini, and the tight-knit community around him, stepped up during that challenging time. Will described it as an “all-hands-on-deck” effort, where friends, teachers, coaches, and others contributed to support him, embodying the saying, “It takes a village.”

Will Reeve’s journey after losing his parents highlights the power of community and the unwavering support of loved ones. Surrounded by family, friends, and a close-knit network, he found strength, love, and resilience to move forward.