Tom Harkin: “I awakened this morning to some very, very sad news: the death of Dana Reeve last night at the age of 44. With her…”

“I awakened this morning to some very, very sad news: the death of Dana Reeve last night at the age of 44. With her death, I lost a dear friend and our American family lost a very, very special member of our family. The world will remember Dana in many ways--as a fine actress, as a tireless advocate for spinal cord and embryonic stem cell research, and as the wife who stood by her husband through incredible adversity. I will remember her as a person of extraordinary grace and decency, always thinking of others, passionately committed to making a difference in the world. Over the years, I was privileged to get to know and to work with both Dana and Christopher Reeve. Whoever coined the phrase that ``life is unfair'' must have had the Reeve family in mind. But these two people faced adversity with unflinching courage. They taught us the most valuable of lessons. Christopher taught us how to transcend suffering and to live life to its fullest and to make every moment count. Dana taught us about the true meaning of love and commitment and loyalty. Together, Dana and Christopher Reeve expanded access to new treatments and therapies for countless thousands of paralyzed Americans. Through their Christopher Reeve Foundation, they were tireless advocates for medical research. Dana Reeve was also a superb politician, and I mean that in the best sense of the word.…”