Early in his presidency, Ronald Reagan's life was endangered – and press secretary James Brady suffered a severe head wound – in an assassination attempt by John Hinckley Jr.
Reagan confronted the challenge with his trademark charm and humor, telling his wife, Nancy, that "I forgot to duck" and telling operating room doctors he hoped they were Republicans. Reagan recovered quickly and continued an influential presidency.
Mr. Brady, confined to a wheelchair after the shooting, went on to campaign for stricter handgun controls. With his wife, Sarah, he founded the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence. The 1993 Brady Handgun Violence Protection Act required that every sale of a gun by a licensed dealer be referred to law enforcement for a background check on the buyer. Brady received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian award, from President Clinton.
