When Will Reeve married Amanda Dubin on January 17, the moment became a quiet tribute to the real-life superhero who shaped his life. His gesture for his late father, Christopher Reeve, wasn’t loud or public – but it spoke volumes.

Nearly a decade before his death, Christopher Reeve’s life changed after a horseback riding accident in 1995 left him paralyzed.

In the years that followed, the star of the Superman franchise became a visible advocate for spinal cord injury research, using his platform to raise awareness and support for others facing similar challenges.

When he died in 2004, his son Will was only 12 years old. He had spent much of his childhood seeing his father not as a movie hero, but as someone who faced real-life obstacles with determination and purpose.

And just when it seemed things couldn’t get worse, Will’s mother, Dana Reeve, died from lung cancer only 17 months later.

At 13, he was orphaned.

“That’s when I realized I was completely alone,” Will, now 33, said about his father in Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story.

‘It takes a village’

In a deeply personal interview with People, Will – who is the half-brother of Alexandra, 42, and Matthew, 46 – shared how those around him stepped in during the most difficult period of his life, responding to his circumstances in what he described as an “impactful way.”

“I moved in with our beloved neighbors who were our best friends,” he told People in the 2024 interview. “I mean, everybody came through. I think it was an all-hands-on-deck situation…people from the past and people from the present just chipping in however they could always.”

He added, “It’s like they say, it takes a village. And the village responded to our situation in such a substantial and impactful way.”

That support system became a foundation, ensuring that loss did not define him, even as it shaped the person he would become.

‘Present and engaged father’

To the world, Reeve was Superman but to Will, he was a real-life superhero whom he called “dad.”

“Much of my time spent with my dad, which ended up only being 12 years, was not spent talking about Superman or any other role that he played. It was much more grounded in our daily existence,” Will said, per the New York Post. “He was focused much more on being a present and engaged father than he was in regaling me with tales of the old days.”

He added, “But he always remembered his time as Superman, and in making those movies fondly and with a sort of reverence, because he knew how important Superman the character is to so many people worldwide across generations.”

Supporting people with spinal injuries

Reeve’s portrayal of the Man of Steel – and his alter, ego Clark Kent – resonated across generations, but his impact extended far beyond the screen.

After his accident, he dedicated himself to advocacy, helping raise awareness and funding for spinal cord injury research through the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation.

Today, Will – a correspondent for ABC News – is actively involved with the foundation founded by his parents, where he serves on the board of directors. In that role, he helps support research and programs focused on improving the lives of people with spinal cord injuries, a cause his parents championed throughout their lives.

Will marries Amanda Dubin

As Will continued building his career and honoring his parents’ legacy through his media work and advocacy, his personal life quietly moved into a new chapter.

In April 2023, he and Amanda Dubin shared a photo in front of the Eiffel Tower – one simple post that made their relationship official.

In November 2024, Will proposed – disguising the moment as a charity event in Manhattan. Dubin, a 29-year-old event planner, didn’t know it was a proposal until they arrived.

They were married on Jan.17, 2026, in Miami, bringing together close friends, family, and several familiar faces from Will’s professional world, including colleagues from ABC News and Good Morning America – among them Robin Roberts, Lara Spencer, and Gio Benitez.

While the couple kept most details of the ceremony private, the wedding was confirmed publicly, offering only a glimpse into a day that reflected the same thoughtful, low-key approach they’ve brought to much of their relationship.

How he honored dad at wedding

But one personal detail had been shared earlier. In a March 2025 interview with People, Will revealed how he planned to honor his father on the day he married Amanda.

“I’ll be wearing his cufflinks,” he said, offering a subtle yet meaningful way to bring his late father into the moment.

Reflecting more broadly in an earlier conversation, Will acknowledged the continued presence of his parents in his life: “My parents will always be gone,” he said. “But they’ll never be forgotten.”

What do you think of Will’s sweet and silent tribute to his legendary dad? Please let us know what you think and then share this story so we can hear from others!