Ronald Reagan's Press Secretary James Brady Dies - East Idaho News
Politics

Ronald Reagan’s Press Secretary James Brady Dies

  Published at

GETTY 8414 JamesBrady?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1407175252865Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) — James Brady, the former White House press secretary who survived being shot in the head during the 1981 assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan, died Monday at age 73.

Brady was seriously injured by the assassination attempt and confined to a wheelchair after the incident.

“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.

“Jim Brady’s zest for life was apparent to all who knew him, and despite his injuries and the pain he endured every day, he used his humor, wit and charm to bring smiles to others and make the world a better place,” the statement said.

Brady became the namesake for the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, a non-profit that works toward gun control, and the Brady Bill, a law passed in 1993 which required a five-day waiting period and background checks on handgun purchases.

He and his wife, Sarah, spent years lobbying Congress for stricter gun control laws.

 


Copyright 2014 ABC News Radio

SUBMIT A CORRECTION