A woman doesn’t want her father to walk her down the aisle because she is embarrassed by his wheelchair. However, when she sees him on TV a few days before the wedding, she regrets her decision and changes her mind.
When Lisa Terrell’s mother died when she was just two years old, her father, Edward, took up her care. Caroline Terrell had died in a terrible hurricane that hit their town years ago, demolishing their home and leaving Edward in a wheelchair due to a severe injury.
Nonetheless, nothing could stop Edward from raising Lisa with love and giving her the finest of everything. He was a well-known journalist and began working remotely following his injury to provide for them.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
However, most people in Lisa’s life were unaware she had a father until he paid her a surprise visit at her school one day.
Lisa had always told her friends that her father was too busy to spend time with her, which is why he never attended school functions or parent meetings. However, the reality was that the invitations never made it to Edward since Lisa was embarrassed by him and didn’t want her friends to see him.
She adored him as a youngster, but as she grew up, the image of her father in a wheelchair mortified her and wrecked her relationship with him.
She was confused as she looked at the television and noticed her father sitting alongside the host.
Still, Edward never reneged on his duties. He was always there for his daughter and saved enough money to send her to a top university.
On the other hand, Lisa did not want him by his side. In fact, when she met her boyfriend, Harrison, at university, and they decided to marry after graduation, she didn’t want Edward to be there for the wedding.
As a result, she freaked out when Harrison asked her to invite Edward to dinner at his parents’ place. His parents were wealthy and of the upper crust. What would they think if they saw an elderly man in their home in a wheelchair? Lisa was ashamed by the very thought of it.
However, based on Harrison’s enthusiasm in inviting Edward to dinner, Lisa realized she didn’t have an out this time. So she had to fake a grin and say she’d ask Edward if he was free.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
When Lisa told Edward about the invitation to dinner, he was more than just free. He was overjoyed for Lisa for finding someone who adored her.
On the night of the dinner, he dressed nicely in a suit and Harrison’s family received him warmly. The young man’s parents were impressed that Edward had reared a daughter on his own. Besides, Edward had a wonderful sense of humor, and everyone had a great time at the dinner. Everyone except Lisa, whose cheeks were flushed crimson with shame the entire time since the man in a wheelchair was her father…
A few weeks before the wedding, Lisa made up her mind. She confronted Edward one night over dinner and notified him that he would not be on the wedding guest list.
“Dad, I wanted to talk to you about the wedding,” she began, glancing at her plate and moving her fork around the spaghetti.
“Yes? What exactly is it, honey?” Edward inquired. “Is there something bugging you about the wedding, the expenses? If that’s the case, I have some bonds that we could use. After all, I did keep it for you…”
“No, dad! It’s just that,” Lisa paused for a moment, “Harrison and I intend to hold the wedding here in New York, but the problem is that we’re having it at one of the city’s largest hotels, and… I just thought it would be best if you didn’t attend the event. You know, there would be way too many guests!”
Edward’s smile vanished as he stared at Lisa, speechless. “I – I don’t understand…What’s the problem?”
Lisa sighed and fixed her gaze on him. “Look, Dad, it’s just that… The guests will be exclusive, and they’re all businessmen and high-class people. Imagine a man in a wheelchair walking his daughter down the aisle in front of them… I don’t know…It’s just weird.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
“A man in a wheelchair is weird?” Edward’s eyes welled up. He couldn’t believe Lisa was indirectly cutting him off the wedding guest list. But he grasped the cue and forced a grin, hiding his tears from her.
“Is that it? Oh, you’re right! After all, this old age is catching up with me,” he said, faking a laugh. “I may not be able to handle such a large gathering. It’s ok – it’s ok!”
“Thanks for understanding, dad,” Lisa said bluntly and went away to her room. Before dissing Edward, she didn’t think twice about all the years of love and care he’d given her, but eventually, she regretted it.
A few days later, she was watching a show titled “American Heroes” on TV when the emcee announced Edward’s name. She was confused as she looked at the television and noticed her father sitting alongside the host.
Soon after, the camera focused on a screen that displayed images of Edward in a wheelchair and the hurricane that had hit their town years before. He turned out to be one of the brave journalists who had managed to save his family and help his neighbors throughout the disaster.
Edward had a solemn expression as he narrated the whole story of how he’d managed to help people, especially his family.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
“I will never forget that day. It was terrible… we lost practically everything,” he explained. “My wife died in the accident, and my daughter was just two years old at the time. As the debris surrounding us fell, I noticed my daughter standing right there…underneath that spot where it was falling.
“I went to save her and took her into my arms, but as I ran, a large section of the ceiling cracked and crashed on my back, causing a spine injury that prevented me from walking again.”
Lisa’s jaw sank to the floor, and her tears welled up when she heard that. “Dad saved me?” she was shocked.
“It was hard for me,” Edward continued. “But you know, you can’t really avoid your fate. So I gathered courage, knowing I just couldn’t give up in life, especially because I know I had a daughter who was now reliant on her father.”
Lisa was utterly embarrassed about herself at this point. She cried after Edward’s interview, cursing herself for being a terrible daughter, and decided to make it up to him.
So on her wedding day, she did walk down the aisle with Edward, but before the wedding ceremony began, she needed to tell the guests something VERY important…
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
As she took the microphone near the altar, she approached Edward, who was sitting among the guests, fell on her knees, and hugged him. “I know this is one of the most important days of my life, and I’ve been waiting for it for so long!” she cried, holding his hands in hers. “But none of this would have been possible if my father had not been by my side.”
“Ever since mom passed away, I never saw dad saying even once how hard it was for him to raise me alone. He did have hard days, but he never showed me the slightest hint of it. But what did I do? I was about to remove him from the wedding list because I was embarrassed about him being in a wheelchair. Yes, that’s right!”
“If only I had known that dad is in a wheelchair because he injured his back while saving me, I’d have never ever done that. I have been horrible to the man who loves me the most!”
“So I’d like to apologize to him in front of everyone today. I apologize for being the worst daughter to you, dad,” she said, facing him. “You can hate me for the rest of my life. I am sorry.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
Edward wasn’t expecting Lisa to own her mistake publicly. He was surprised but at the same time overcome with emotions at seeing his daughter realize her error, so he forgave her.
“Oh, come here,” he cried, embracing her. “Everyone makes mistakes,” he said. “But if you recognize them and work to fix them, you should be forgiven.”
Everyone was moved to tears and applauded the heartwarming reunion.
What can we learn from this story?
- Love and respect your parents because they go above and beyond for you. Liza realized this when she heard her father’s story on TV and apologized to him for being rude.
- Everyone makes mistakes, and if they realize it, they should be forgiven. Edward forgave her daughter when he saw she felt guilty for what she’d done.
Christopher Reeve’s son lost both his parents by age 13
Numerous accounts exist of children who have grown up to resemble their famous parents.
A number of famous children make us gasp in disbelief when we look at them, including the twin daughters of Michael J. Fox, the teenage daughter of Julia Roberts who looks just like her, and even the grandson of Elvis Presley.
Will, the 29-year-old son of Christopher Reeve, is striving to carry on his father’s inspirational legacy in addition to being a near-perfect replica of his father.
Sadly, at the age of thirteen, Christopher Reeve’s youngest son had to cope with the loss of both of his parents.
A scene from the 1978 movie “Superman,” starring Christopher Reeve as Superman. (Photo via Getty Images))
How does a hero appear?
Growing up in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Christopher Reeve was a hero to millions of people.
When the DC comic book character Superman first appeared on television in 1978, he won a BAFTA for Most Promising Male Newcomer.
Superman II, Superman III, and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace are the three further superhero films in which the endearing and attractive actor starred.
We will always remember the well-known superhero that goes by his name.
But in addition to being an actor, Christopher Reeve (born in New York in 1952) was also a screenwriter, producer, director of films, campaigner, and horseback rider.
Accident involving Christopher Reeve
Christopher Reeve’s life would forever alter on May 27, 1995.
The well-liked actor suffered a spinal cord injury after falling off his horse Buck at an equestrian competition in Culpeper, Virginia.
The Hollywood actor became wheelchair-bound and paralyzed from the neck down, shocking millions of fans and his family.
Christopher’s mother pleaded with the medical staff to discontinue his mechanical ventilation and allow him pass away, according to the actor’s foundation.
The actor would have died instantly if he had fallen one centimeter farther to the left, according to information subsequently disclosed by the New York Times. In contrast, Christopher would have most likely only sustained a concussion if he had landed slightly to the right.
Christopher became quadriplegic while he was just 42 years old. For the remainder of his life, he needed a portable ventilator and was confined to a wheelchair.
Physicians promptly announced that there was little chance of recovery, telling Reeve in particular that it would be “impossible” for him to regain any movement.
In the early days of his hospital stay, Christopher Reeve was incoherent and highly drugged. He was going through hell. He believed his life had been ruined after learning the terrible diagnosis from the doctor.
In an attempt to spare his family from further hardship, he suggested to his wife Dana Morosini that they might as well end the relationship.
“I will support whatever you want to do because this is your life and your decision,” she said, her eyes welling with sorrow. But I want you to know that no matter what, I’ll be by your side for the entire journey. You remain who you are. I also adore you.
Reeve had the option to give up, but he chose to dedicate himself to activism and founded the Christopher Reeve Foundation with his loving wife Dana. Later on, the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation became its new name.
Additionally, the pair co-founded the Reeve-Irvine Research Center, which advocates for stem cell research and patients of spinal cord injuries.
To ensure his son had a happy childhood, Christopher Reeve also made the decision to do everything in his power.
In a 2016 interview with PEOPLE, Will talked candidly about his incredible upbringing, which he described as “completely typical.”
Will recalled them with affection, saying, “They were the ones who told me to go to bed, eat my broccoli, and turn off the TV.” “It was a totally normal childhood, but I understand that not every child experiences seeing their dad on the magazine at the checkout aisle when they go to the grocery store.”
Will also recalled the day his father showed him how to use a wheelchair to ride a bike. “I didn’t think it would succeed. “I’m scared, but I can hear my dad saying, ‘Steady, steady, left, right, left, right,’” he remarked. “By the third lap, I’m grinning and waving at my dad, and he’s grinning, too.” That had great meaning for him. I would race in a wheelchair later on. He would permit me to triumph.
Regretfully, just as they were reassembling everything, Will’s father passed away.
Death of Christopher Reeve
Christopher Reeve has numerous health issues even as a small child. His breathing was hampered by allergies and asthma.
He also discovered at the age of sixteen that he had alopecia areata, which was the reason of his hair loss. During his acting career, Christopher managed to manage the condition; nevertheless, upon becoming disabled, he made the decision to completely cut off all of his hair.
Christopher had multiple infections treated in the early 2000s. He was receiving treatment for an infected pressure ulcer that was resulting in sepsis in October 2004. While he was watching his son Will play hockey on October 9, Christopher had a heart attack that same evening as a result of receiving medication for his sickness.
The physicians were at a loss for what to do once he went into a coma.
At 52 years old, Christopher Reeve passed away on October 10, 2004.
Reeve’s death was attributed to a medication response, according to both Mrs. Dana and the doctors.
At Hartsdale, New York’s Ferncliff Cemetery, his corpse was cremated, and his ashes were dispersed.
Death of the wife
Despite never having smoked, Dana, Christopher’s spouse and caretaker, was also diagnosed with lung cancer only ten months after her husband’s passing. But in the early years of her career, Dana used to sing and perform in smokey pubs and hotel lobbies, claims Christopher P. Andersen.
On April 11, 1992, American singer and actress Dana wed actor Christopher Reeve in Williamstown, Massachusetts.
Dana, 44, passed away on March 6, 2006, following several months of fighting a malignant lung malignancy.
Willard Reeve
William Elliot “Will” Reeve, the son of Christopher and Dana, was born on June 7, 1992. Regretfully, Will was abandoned as an orphan when he was just 13 years old.
Nevertheless, Will has grown up to resemble his father, even though he has mostly avoided the spotlight up to this point.
After completing his schooling, Will is pursuing a successful career in the sports press profession.
Will, who is now 29 years old and has been handsomely bequeathed by his father, looks just like him more than ten years later.
However, what really stands out about this young man is that he is carrying on the excellent work that his parents began.
Despite the possibility of a downward spiral or mental instability following such a traumatic experience at such a young age, Will was able to avoid going down this path because of his strong moral principles and the support of his parents.
“A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles,” my father once said. I use this quote often to honor his legacy and instill his timeless spirit in a new generation,” he added in a Daily Mail article.
Will told his parents he would succeed in his career and now contributes to ESPN’s SportsCenter. He and his father both enjoy sports.
After serving as a production assistant and intern at “Good Morning America” while attending Middlebury College, he was hired.
He carries on the job his parents began, searching for novel treatments and spearheading the foundation’s fundraising efforts for additional technological advancements that will benefit individuals with spinal injuries.
In an interview with CBS News in 2018, Will discussed a letter he had written to himself following the death of his parents.
“I have both bad and good news to share. I’ll start with the negative because, no matter what, you always need to be aware of the full picture. And no, it won’t change. You’re at the lowest moment in your life, which is the bad news. You’ve just said your last goodbye to Mom and you’re in a hospital room in New York City,” he wrote. “You’re thirteen years old.” She is forty-four. carcinoma of the lung. Never indulged in smoking. Gone, like Dad, who passed away a year and a half ago, when you were at your lowest point. You’ve reached a new low, where you feel scared, perplexed, and incredibly depressed. However! The good news is that this is the bottom. You’re heading straight up, which is the only direction there is.
How motivating is Will Reeve, a young man?
Even though he lost both of his parents when he was quite young, he honors their memories every day with his accomplishments and attitude.
I’m sure his parents were quite proud of the progress this young man has made. He truly is an inspiration.
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