(CBS/AP) Christopher Reeve, the star of the "Superman" movies whose near-fatal riding accident nine years ago turned him into a worldwide advocate for spinal cord research, has died.
Reeve, who was 52, fell into a coma Saturday after going into cardiac arrest while at his suburban New York home and died Sunday at a local hospital.
Reeve was being treated at Northern Westchester Hospital for a pressure wound that he developed, a common complication for people living with paralysis. In the past week, the wound had become severely infected, resulting in a serious systemic infection.
Reeve's wife, actress Dana Morosini Reeve, issued a statement thanking "the millions of fans from around the world who have supported and loved my husband over the years." His mother, Barbara Johnson, told the syndicated TV show "The Insider": "I'm glad that he is free of all those tubes."
"The world has lost a tremendous activist and artist, and an inspiration for people worldwide. I have lost a great friend," said actor and comedian Robin Williams, whose friendship with Reeve dated back to the days when they were both students at the Juilliard School of Performing Arts.
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