Dana Reeve, 44, wife of Christopher Reeve, dies of lung cancer

March 7, 2006 Dana Reeve, the widow of Christopher Reeve, died of lung cancer late Monday. She was 44.

Reeve served as chairwoman of the Christopher Reeve Foundation and founded the Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Resource Center. She and her late husband, famed for his movie acting role of Superman, became advocates for paraplegics when he suffered a spinal injury in 1995 that left him paralyzed after falling off a horse. Christopher Reeve died in 2004.

Kathy Lewis, President and CEO of the foundation said in a statement to the media, "On behalf of the entire Board of Directors and staff of the Christopher Reeve Foundation, we are extremely saddened by the death of Dana Reeve, whose grace and courage under the most difficult of circumstances was a source of comfort and inspiration to all of us."

Reeve, who was not a smoker, announced in 2005 that she had lung cancer.

Reeve is survived by her 13-year-old son, Will; a step-daughter, Alexandra; a step-son, Matthew; her father, Dr. Charles Morosini; and sisters Deborah Morosini and Adrienne Morosini Heilman.