Jerry O'Connell to Return as Host of Reeve Foundation's 2017 'Magical Evening' Gala

The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation today announced that they will honor Foundation supporters the Bridgman Family and vice-chairman of the Board of Directors Henry G. Stifel III at the annual "A Magical Evening" Gala.

Actor Jerry O'Connell will return to host the evening which celebrates those who embody the fabric of the Foundation's mission to cure spinal cord injury and improving the quality of life for people living with paralysis.

This year's gala will take place on Thursday, November 16, 2017 at Conrad New York.

The Christopher Reeve Spirit of Courage Award will be presented to the Bridgman Family, whose lives were turned upside down when Chris Bridgman was paralyzed in a biking accident in 2010. Knowing nothing about spinal cord injury, the family turned to the Reeve Foundation's Paralysis Resource Center for support and guidance. The Bridgmans are now focused on helping other families in similar situations to theirs and aim to spread hope to others. Since Chris' injury they have ignited their community in Los Altos, CA, to raise funds to speed the development of treatments for spinal cord injury and will do so until tangible cures are discovered.

The Arnold H. Snider Visionary Leadership Award will be presented to our beloved Vice Chair, Henry G. Stifel III. Over 30-years ago, the Foundation was born out of the dreams of the Stifel family who refused to believe that the words "impossible" or "unsolvable" applied to spinal cord injury.

"When we think about the Stifel family, we acknowledge them as the pioneers that ignited this enterprise over two decades ago. They were driven by family, friendship, community and by a shared vision that they could improve quality of life for all individuals living with a spinal cord injury. Henry has been a beacon of light to the Foundation over the years," said Peter Wilderotter, president and CEO of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. "Now we have families like the Bridgmans who are passionate about empowering others to embrace the cause, the mission and the hope that cures for spinal cord injury are not only possible, they are inevitable."

In conjunction with the gala, there will be an online auction, powered by Charitybuzz, which will run from November 9th through November 21st at charitybuzz.com/reevefoundation.

This year's Co-Chairs for the event include John W. Holman, III, Katherine M. Snider and Kareem Issa. Board of Directors include: John M. Hughes (Chairman of the Board), John McConnell (Vice Chairman of the Board), Matthew Reeve (Vice Chairman, International Development), Mr. Henry G. Stifel, III (Vice Chairman of the Board), Joel M. Faden (Chairman, Executive Committee Treasurer), Jeffrey P. Cunard, Esq. (Secretary Ex-Officio), Peter T. Wilderotter (President and CEO Ex-Officio), Timothy Connors, Ian Curtis, Tracy Forst, Simone George, Alexandra Reeve Givens, Esq., Jack Hagerty, Esq., Kelly Anne Heneghan, Esq., Lisa Henry Holmes, Daniel Heumann, Michael Hoog, Anita McGorty, Timothy R. Pernetti, Mark Pollock, Will Reeve, David Sable, Jay Shepard, Marci Surfas, Christopher Tagatac, TaNia Lynn Taylor, Patricia J. Volland and James O. Welch, Jr.

The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to curing spinal cord injury by funding innovative research, and improving the quality of life for people living with paralysis through grants, information and advocacy. Through the Reeve Foundation's persistence and promise, neuroscientists around the world agree that repairing the damaged spinal cord is not a question of if, but a question of when.

Proceeds from A Magical Evening enable the Reeve Foundation to continue its pivotal work. For more information and to purchase tickets or tables, visit www.christopherreeve.org/ame.

The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to curing spinal cord injury by funding innovative research, and improving the quality of life for people living with paralysis through grants, information and advocacy. For more information, visit www.christopherreeve.org.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride