October 17, 1995
Web posted at: 1 p.m. EDT
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Actor Christopher Reeve has appeared in public for the first time since he was thrown from a horse and paralyzed in May. Monday night in New York, he presented an award to fellow actor and friend Robin Williams at a benefit for the Creative Coalition, an actors' advocacy group.
In his remarks, Reeve thanked Williams for his support and 22-year friendship. He recalled Williams' visit to him in the hospital shortly after the accident. "There was this guy wearing a blue scrub hat and a yellow gown and with a Russian accent, being some insane Russian doctor. ... I laughed for the first time and I knew that life was going to be OK."
Reeve is best known for his starring roles in the "Superman" movies. He also co-founded the Creative Coalition, which recognizes people in the arts who are active in social and political issues.
The actor is rehabilitating at the Kessler Institute in West Orange, New Jersey. He breathes with a ventilator and has limited movement above the shoulders.
Copyright © 1995 Cable News Network, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
External sites are not necessarily endorsed by CNN Interactive.