James Brady, RIP

James S. Brady, the often-irreverent press secretary to President Ronald Reagan who was shot in the head during an assassination attempt on his boss in 1981 and who became an enduring symbol of the fight against unfettered access to guns in American society, died Aug. 4 at a retirement community in Alexandria, Va. He was 73.

Gail Hoffman, a family spokeswoman, confirmed his death and said she did not know the immediate cause. Mr. Brady had long suffered from health problems resulting from the shooting.

Mr. Brady remained an influential presence in the gun-control debate decades after the attack, which left him partially paralyzed. He and his wife, Sarah, often described as the “first family” of gun control, battled six years to pass legislation that in 1993 ushered in background checks for handguns bought from federally licensed dealers.

“Jim is a legend at the White House,” President Obama said in a statement, “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 through the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. Since 1993, the law that bears Jim’s name has kept guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals. An untold number of people are alive today who otherwise wouldn’t be, thanks to Jim.”

From Mrs. Reagan:

“I still remember vividly that day,” Nancy Reagan said in a statement after Mr. Brady’s death, “when Sarah and I sat together in a tiny room near the emergency room at George Washington University Hospital, trying to comfort each other while we both were gripped with unspeakable fear. The bond we established then was unlike any other.”

Many people will remember Jim Brady for his heroism  on that horrible day that he and Ronald Reagan were shot.  Others will remember him and his wife Sarah for their efforts to reduce gun violence.   Sarah became a crusader for background checks.  The Brady Bill became the bane of all 2A-ers everywhere as a result of the efforts of Sarah and Jim Brady.

RIP, Jim Brady.