President, Sandy Hook Activist Group Express Condolences Over Passing of James Brady

Former White House press secretary and gun-control advocate James Brady has passed away at the age of 73, according to CNN. Brady was severely wounded in the 1981 assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan by James Hinkley. He was left partially paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life. His family said in a statement that Brady died following a series of health issues.

James Brady launched the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and inspired The Brady Bill, a controversial bill fiercely fought by the National Rifle Association for years before Congress approved it. The Brady Bill requires background checks for gun purchases.

President Bill Clinton signed The Brady Bill into law in 1993. In 1997 President Clinton awarded Brady with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. In 2000, the White House press briefing room was renamed in his honor.

According to CNN, President Barack Obama said of Brady’s passing, “Jim is a legend at the White House for his warmth and professionalism as press secretary for President Reagan; for the strength he brought to bear in recovering from the shooting that nearly killed him 33 years ago; and for turning the events of that terrible afternoon into a remarkable legacy of service.”

The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence posted on their Facebook page:

“We are heartbroken over the passing of James Brady. We offer our deepest condolences to his wife, Sarah, and the rest of his family as we mourn the loss of our dear friend and a true American hero. Because of Jim’s hard work and the policy that bears his name—the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act—an estimated 2 million gun sales to criminals, domestic abusers and other dangerous people have been blocked. As a result, countless lives have been saved. In fact, there are few Americans in history who are as directly responsible for saving as many lives as Jim.”

Sandy Hook Promise, a Newtown-based activist group that works to prevent the causes of gun violence by educating people to make changes in their community, also expressed their condolences:

“We at Sandy Hook Promise are saddened to hear that James Brady has passed at the age of 73. He was a champion and a leader in the effort to reduce gun violence and we stand here today on the back of the terrific work he and Sarah accomplished. Our hearts and prayers go out to his wife Sarah, the Brady family and the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.”

Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy and Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman said in a joint statement:

“Jim Brady was a tireless public servant and we owe him a debt of gratitude for his efforts to reduce the scourge of gun violence in America. There was a time when Washington worked in a meaningful way to enact common sense gun violence prevention laws. That was due in no small measure to the efforts of James Brady and his wife, Sarah. To his family, friends, and colleagues, we extend our condolences.”

An estimated 2 million gun sales to criminals, domestic abusers and other dangerous people have been blocked due to Brady’s efforts, according to CNN.

The family is requesting donations in his memory to be made to the Goodwin House Foundation or the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.