Reeve's wife Dana supported him after the accident

"It was always his intention to keep life going even after adversity. That was the spirit he lived by," she said.

Dana Reeve, who had cared for her husband through his paralysis, is continuing fundraising for research into spinal injuries.

But she added she had to get back to her own career. "I am an actress and I do have to make a living, she said.

Dana Reeve spent nine years caring for the Superman actor after he was paralysed in a horse riding accident in 1995.

She said there had been a "void in our home life" since his death on 10 October.

Keeping his mission

Dana has now succeeded him as head of the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation, which supports research through grants.

The Foundation is holding a charity fundraiser on Thursday, which Minnie Driver will host and Paul Simon will perform at.

The event was planned before Reeve's death but it has evolved in a tribute to the actor.

But Dana is keen for everyone not to lose sight of the reason for the dinner and "thinking about the future and about fund raising and about keeping his mission alive".

She said Christopher had passed on a legacy to their 12-year-old son as a strong figure.

"The way to honour him is to live the way he lived, and that was to be uncompromising," she said.