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August 5, 2014

Former Reagan Press Secretary, Gun Control Advocate James Brady Dies at 73 
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Former White House press secretary and leading gun control advocate
James Brady has died at the age of 73. In 1981, while serving as press
secretary for President Ronald Reagan, Brady was shot in the head during
an assassination attempt on Reagan. Brady suffered brain damage, which
impaired his speech and memory and left him partially paralyzed and in a
wheelchair. He went on to become a leading advocate for gun control,
successfully pushing for a 1993 law bearing his name which imposes
background checks on many gun sales. In 2011, 30 years after he was
shot, Brady continued to call on Congress to take action on gun control.

James Brady: "I know I would not be sitting here in this damn wheelchair
if we had commonsense legislation. I used to be a track runner. No more.
But I'm not going to run away from this."

Brady died in Alexandria, Virginia, on Monday after a series of health
problems.

 

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