Jolie Rouge

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - Christopher Reeve played a superhero in the movies, and now, two months after his death, he's a superhero to a 14-year-old boy.

Tyler Howard of Charlestown is a quadriplegic and has been in a wheelchair for 10 years. On Thursday, Reeve's family gave Howard the late actor's specially modified van, so he can get around with his wheelchair and other medical equipment. ``I'm free, I'm free,'' Howard said. ``I can go where I want.''

Howard said he always wanted to be able to attend school functions, visit classmates and go to church and family outings. Until now, he could only go to school and his doctor's appointments.

Reeve, 52, died Oct. 10 of complications from an infection caused by a bedsore. He won worldwide fame in four ``Superman'' films from 1978-87. After his May 1995 horse riding accident, he became a spokesman for spinal cord injury victims.

Howard was chosen to receive Reeve's van from thousands of potential recipients. ``I hope the van brings you great joy and freedom as it did for Chris,'' wrote Dana Reeve, the actor's widow, in a letter.

Howard, who requires 24-hour care, developed quadriplegia following a virus he contracted when he was 4. He is dependent on a ventilator and has a tracheotomy. He said his all-time favorite film hero is Superman.

http://cnn.netscape.cnn.com/news/sto...87.htm&sc=1402

12/24/04 15:14

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Laissez les bon temps rouler! Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.** a 4 day work week & sex slaves ~ I say Tyt for PRESIDENT! Not to be taken internally, literally or seriously ....Suki ebaynni IS THAT BETTER ?

catssass

That is so sweet, what a Christmas gift for the whole family...

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Why not learn to enjoy the little things - there are so many of them.

evrita

He is a very nice boy very smart boy too I am so glad his family got this also the van that his family had just gotten thru fundraisers and a lift was donated to them was passed along to another child in the town who needs it.

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Never Take Life Too Serious NONE of Us Are Getting Out Alive !!

annie169

How awesome is that?? VERY VERY COOL!

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(( )
(VROOM! ))
_--( __- -_= )


Boogity Boogity Boogity!!

Blackberry

That is so touching. I'm very happy for the boy

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I'm Barely Balancing As It Is......

nanajoanie

Dana is a super heroette. She earned some more feathers in her Angel wings helping that young fella who in turn helped another person. Chris will always be missed but remembered for his superhero movies. But I will always remember his courage with each little accomplishment he struggled with after his accident.

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Toodles, Nanajoanie

evrita

Charlestown teen gets Superman's vanBy GARY DENNIS
The Union LeaderUSA - CHARLESTOWN - It's a nice van - a great van really.

A Super Van.

That's what 14-year-old Tyler Howard thinks of it - even it hadn't been the ride of Christopher Reeve before the former Man of Steel died earlier this year.

Now the Charlestown family owns it and Howard - a quadriplegic from age three - can do more things like his teenage peers do.

"Like visit family and go with friends to the movies," said Howard's mom, Sheri Hamel.

When the black 2001 Ford van pulled up to Howard's home in a small neighborhood halfway between the village of Charlestown and the city of Claremont to the north, the frail boy and several family members were waiting.

They crowded inside a small living room. The walls here are plastered with family photos, many of which include a smiling Tyler Howard in his wheelchair.

Two days before Christmas, the tree with gifts underneath it gets no attention. Instead, all eyes are pointed toward the driveway.

"Oh, my God," Howard said as the van stopped in front of his home.

The boy beat incredible odds. His story won the heart of Dana Reeve - widow of Christopher - over more than 70,000 like stories from across the country. That's the tally of handicapped families that contacted the Reeve family and asked if they could have the specially equipped van.

But in the end, Reeve chose Howard.

Howard was three when a virus attacked his spine and left him without the use of his arms and legs. There were some mental effects, too, according to Hamel. The boy has started recently to suffer from seizures and other such maladies that have doctors thinking maybe the damage wasn't only to his motor skills.

Now he'll ride in a spacious van with necessary amenities like a lift and special ties to keep Howard's automated wheelchair from moving around during the ride.

And it's got a CD player and television. How many of Howard's friends do you think will know that Superman listened to and watched the same?

Reeve, the acclaimed actor who played motion picture Superman in the 1980s movie series, became a quadriplegic after a horse-riding accident 10 years ago. Earlier this year, he died from an infection originating from bedsores.

There's no connection between the Charlestown family and the internationally known Reeve. And that's what makes Mary Lou Huffling of Alstead grin ear to ear.

Just how did the van find it's way to the Connecticut River valley town buried between Claremont and Keene? She'll tell you - she's just as surprised herself.

Huffling is no stranger to charities and community giving. For years she's run the Fall Mountain Friendly Meals program, providing food for so many needy and elderly in the region.

It's given her Mother Teresa status in the region that includes towns like Acworth, Walpole, Langdon and Alstead. And accordingly, that's why when word got around that a quadriplegic boy from Charlestown had no way to get around town, someone eventually wrote to Huffling and asked her to start a fund drive.

And she did. After putting out letters to the Fall Mountain community, Huffling heard back from a Walpole woman who was friends with the Reeves.

"She told me I should write to Dana and see if we could get the van that Christopher had been using," Huffling said. "I figured 'what have I got to lose?'"

Apparently nothing - but so much to gain. She sent the letter. In it, she told Reeve about "Tyler's wonderful spirit" and "how isolated he is with no transportation."

"I told her he wanted to go to ball games," Huffling said.

When the call came from Dana Reeve, Huffling was about knocked off her feet - "I literally got goose bumps."

Enter David Young of Alstead. He's an attorney and a former state representative. And he's a close friend of Huffling.

Young got the paperwork ball rolling and was the one who traveled to New York City to pick up the van. He also picked up the title to the vehicle which includes information like color, make and the odometer reading of 35,934 miles.

But it also includes the signature of Dana Reeve which makes the transfer of the van to New Hampshire ownership official.

It's not the only place where Dana Reeve's signature can be found. A handwritten note is included with the van.

"Dear Tyler: I hope this van brings you great joy and freedom - as it did for Chris. God bless you and your family. Best - Dana Reeve."

Large glossy photos of Reeve and her late husband sit in the van for Howard, too. In a gift bag, she left a poem of inspiration she wrote, along with books about empowerment for the handicapped.

For Howard, who doesn't say much but was obviously excited about the new addition to the driveway, the gift is a dream.

"This is such a great thing to have Christopher Reeve's van," he said. "I'd like to thank them for letting me have it. I'm really pretty speechless right now."

Howard, his family, Young and Huffling drove the van to Concord on the same day for an official ceremony at Granite State Independent Living, a statewide non-profit organization that provides for the disabled. Gov.-elect John Lynch was on hand to watch the transfer of ownership from the Reeves to Howard and his family.

"It's just a wonderful, wonderful Christmas story," Young said.

And there's one more part.

Huffling's fund drive for a similarly equipped van - the one that was meant for Howard before Dana Reeve called - raised enough money to buy one. Young says they'll be providing a van for another needy family in the region now.

Two Christmas miracles for the price of one.

"(Dana) said Chris just loved children," Huffling said. "The letter and picture of Tyler just touched them in a way, I guess."

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Never Take Life Too Serious NONE of Us Are Getting Out Alive !!

MamaFairal

here is a link to the NH paper that has a pic of Howard in it

www.unionleader.com

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I finally found the one man not like all the rest!