Christopher Reeve's son calls brain chip 'marker of hope' after dad's death

30 January 2024 , 17:30

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Elon Musk announced that the first Neuralink was implanted in a human (Image: No credit)

Christopher Reeve's son, Will Reeve, has labelled a new brain chip as a 'marker of hope' for those living with paralysis.

This comes after his dad, Superman actor Christopher Reeve, was left paralyzed following a horse riding accident. Ten years later, he passed away from an unrelated cause. Nonetheless, in his life, his family watched as he struggled and stepped away from the limelight.

Will, who is a Good Morning America anchor, explained the latest updates on Elon Musk's Neuralink technology on the morning talk show. According to the company, this device can interpret neural activity, allowing users to operate a computer or smartphone just by thinking. Elon recently confirmed that they've implanted their first chip into a human brain.

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The technology aims to help those with disabilities (GMA/Twitter)

Reflecting on this new technology, Will said: "Neuralink joins a small group of companies to implant devices into brains, but experts caution that true success can only be defined in the long term. Right now, it's a marker of hope in the arduous journey of progress and recovery for people living with paralysis."

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Co-anchor Robin Roberts acknowledged Will's personal connection to the story, noting that his family has been at the "forefront" of the experience. In response, Will said: "We're living in a world that maybe we couldn't have imagined when my dad was injured all those years ago, but it's certainly a great thing to see."

Will is in awe of the technology and reflected on how it could have helped his father (GMA/Twitter)

Dr. Leah Croll, a neurologist, is excited about the future of Neuralink and its benefits for patients. She said: "I really do think that in my lifetime as a physician, I will be able to use this technology to help my patients and I cannot wait for that day to come."

Elon Musk has shared some good news on Twitter about Neuralink's progress. He wrote: "The first human received an implant from Neuralink yesterday and is recovering well. Initial results show promising neuron spike detection."

Neuralink's device is tiny but could do big things for people who can't see or move well. Elon Musk wants to fix these problems first with his brain tech.

Alex West