James Brady

James Scott "Jim" Brady (born August 29, 1940) is a former Assistant to the President and White House Press Secretary under U.S. President Ronald Reagan. After nearly being killed and becoming permanently disabled as a result of an assassination attempt on Reagan in 1981, Brady became an ardent supporter of gun control.

Shooting
Brady was among those shot during John Hinckley, Jr.'s March 30, 1981, assassination attempt on Reagan, suffering a serious head wound. During the confusion that followed after the shooting, all major media outlets, except CNN, erroneously reported that Brady had died. Later, when ABC News anchorman Frank Reynolds, a friend of Brady, was forced to retract the report, he angrily stated on-air to his staff, "C'mon, let's get it nailed down!" resulting in Sam Donaldson joining him after commercial. During the hours-long operation, surgeon Dr. Arthur Kobrine was informed of the media's announcement of Brady's death, to which he retorted, "No one has told me and the patient."

Although Brady survived, the wound left him with slurred speech and partial paralysis that required the full-time use of a wheelchair. His neurosurgeon, Arthur Kobrine, described him as having difficulty controlling his emotions while speaking after the shooting, saying "he would kind of cry-talk for a while", and suffering deficits in memory and thinking, such as failing to recognize people. However, Kobrine said that 30 years later, Brady could walk and had recovered almost all speech and cognitive function. His recovery occurred largely as a result of riding his horse using equine therapy, inspiring the foundation of The James S. Brady Therapeutic Riding Program based in San Francisco, California.

Brady was unable to work as the White House Press Secretary but remained in the position until the end of Reagan Administration with Larry Speakes and Marlin Fitzwater performing the job on an "acting" or "deputy" basis.

Handgun control advocate
Together with his wife, Sarah, who served as Chair of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, formerly known as Handgun Control, Inc., co-founded by N.T. Pete Shields, Brady subsequently lobbied for stricter handgun control and assault weapon restrictions. The Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, also known simply as "the Brady Bill", was named in his honor.

Brady received the honorary degree of doctor of laws from McKendree College, Lebanon, Illinois, in 1982. Sarah and James Brady were each awarded a doctorate degree (of Humane Letters) by Drexel University in 1993. In 1994, James and his wife, Sarah, received the S. Roger Horchow Award for Greatest Public Service by a Private Citizen, an award given out annually by Jefferson Awards. In 1996, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Bill Clinton, the highest civilian award in the United States.

James S. Brady press briefing room


In 2000, the Press Briefing Room at the White House was renamed after Brady as the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room.

Portrayals in film
Brady's recovery after the shooting was dramatized in the 1991 film Without Warning: The James Brady Story, with Brady portrayed by Beau Bridges.