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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

Ex-VP Says Reeve Foundation Owes Him

MORRISTOWN, N.J. (CN) - Its former vice president says the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation didn't pay him for 3 months, at which point he stopped working and demanded the money. The foundation, named for the late actor and his late wife, raises money for spinal cord injury research.

Bruce Morgan sued the foundation and its president Peter Wilderotter in Morris County Court. Morgan claims that after the foundation "lost" more than $2.3 million, Wilderotter told him that "severe cutbacks were imminent."

Morgan says took himself off the foundation's health plan and used his wife's plan as "to assist the CDRF in reducing costs."

When he complained about not being paid, Morgan says, Wilderotter told him that "he would be paid" and that "compensation issues were being addressed on an emergent basis."

So Morgan says he continued to work for the foundation while waiting for his money. He says he helped secure "earmark funding from Congress in the amount of $5.7 million," a $28,000 increase over the previous year.

He says his efforts led to Congress enacting the Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act, which President Obama signed into law in March. The legislation "established the Paralysis Resource Center as an independent federal program, relieving the [foundation] of the burden of relying on Congressional earmarks." These accomplishments "were lauded by many at [the foundation]," including Alexandra Reeve-Givens, the daughter of the late Christopher Reeve, Morgan says.

He says the Foundation fired him abruptly in April, violating the employment contract that requires 6 months notice.

Christopher Reeve, best known for his role as"Superman," was paralyzed in a fall from a horse, and died in 2004. His wife died of cancer in 2006.

Morgan seeks lost wages and punitive damages. He is represented by Joseph Gaul Jr. with Gaul, Baratta & Rosello of Cedar Knolls, N.J.

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