James Brady, Reagan’s press secretary, dies at 73
James Brady, who embarked on a personal crusade for stronger controls after his devastating wounding in attempt on Reagan's life, dies aged 73
James Brady, the affable, witty press secretary who survived a devastating head wound in the 1981 assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan and undertook a personal crusade for gun control, has died. He was 73.
Brady, who spent much of the rest of his life in a wheelchair, died on Monday at a retirement community in Virginia, where he lived with his wife.
"We are heartbroken to share the news that our beloved Jim 'Bear' Brady has passed away after a series of health issues," Brady's family said in a statement. "His wife, Sarah; son, Scott, and daughter, Missy, are so thankful to have had the opportunity to say their farewells."
Brady suffered a bullet wound to his head in the assassination attempt outside the Washington Hilton Hotel on March 30, 1981. Although he returned to the White House only briefly, he was allowed to keep the title of presidential press secretary and his White House salary until Reagan left office in January 1989.
US President Barack Obama described Brady as a White House legend, who turned "the events of that terrible afternoon into a remarkable legacy of service". Thanks to Brady and the law bearing his name, "an untold number of people are alive today who otherwise wouldn't be", the president said in a statement.
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'".