Gun victim & fiercest foe
WASHINGTON — James Brady, the White House press secretary who took a bullet intended for President Ronald Reagan and later led a national movement for guncontrol legislation, died Monday in Alexandria, Va., of unspecified “health issues.” He was 73.
Brady, the affable press liaison nicknamed “Bear,” was seriously injured March 30, 1981, in the assassination attempt on Reagan.
Gunman John Hinckley Jr., who had the delusional idea that he could impress actress Jodie Foster with a presidential killing, began firing at Reagan as the commanderinchief left the Washington Hilton.
Reagan was shot in the chest and lower right arm. A DC cop and Secret Service agent were also struck, as was Brady.
Brady suffered the most serious wound: a bullet to the brain that left him partially paralyzed. Following a long recovery, he and his wife, Sarah, led the charge for guncontrol legislation that culminated on Nov. 30, 1993, when President Bill Clinton signed the Brady Bill.
At the emotional White House signing ceremony, Brady spoke from his wheelchair, aided by his wife, who held the microphone.
“Twelve years ago, my life was changed forever by a disturbed young man with a gun,” Brady said. “Until that time, I hadn’t thought much about gun control or the need for gun control. Maybe if I had, I wouldn’t be stuck with these damn wheels.”
The legislation created a fiveday waiting period for background checks on people attempting to purchase a gun.
The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence continued to push for tougher guncontrol laws in the wake of an endless spate of mass shootings, includ ing the bloodbath at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012
“Jim never gave up fighting and never lost his trademark wit despite suffering a traumatic brain injury,” said Dan Gross, president of the Brady Campaign. “There are few Americans in history who are as directly responsible for saving as many lives as Jim.”
President Obama called Brady “a legend at the White House.” He praised his “warmth and professionalism” and legacy of public service. “Since 1993, the law that bears Jim’s name has kept guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals,” Obama said.
Former First Lady Nancy Reagan said she was “deeply saddened to learn of Jim Brady’s passing today. Thinking of him brings back so many memories — happy and sad — of a time in all of our lives when we learned what it means to play the hand we’re dealt.”
Brady remained hospitalized for much of the first year of Reagan’s presidency.
In 2000, the White House Press Room was renamed the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room. A plaque there reads: “May his courage and dedication continue to inspire all who work in this room and beyond.”