Daryl Returns to Television with "Brothers"

Paralyzed African-American Actor Gives Hope to Others

September 25, 2009, Short Hills, N.J.--As the family, friends and fans
of Christopher Reeve commemorate the late star's 57th birthday today,
another disabled actor takes a giant step forward in showing
America—and the world—that there is life after paralysis. Tonight,
Daryl "Chill" Mitchell, an ambassador for the Christopher & Dana Reeve
Foundation and its Paralysis Resource Center (PRC), will take center
stage on the premiere of FOX's "Brothers," alongside Michael Strahan,
CCH Pounder and Carl Weathers. The series will premiere in a special
hour-long telecast at 8/7 Central tonight.
Born in the Bronx, raised in Long Island, N.Y. and now a resident of
Atlanta, Ga., Mitchell first came to the public's attention as a
member of the three-man rap group Groove B Chill. A music video made
to accompany the group's new album quickly led to an acting career,
beginning with the feature film "House Party," and later on, among
others, "Galaxy Quest" and "Lucky Numbers," as well as "The Fresh
Prince of Bel Air," "Law & Order," and as a series regular on "The
John Larroquette Show," "Ed" and "Veronica's Closet." In November
2001, Mitchell was involved in a motorcycle accident, which left him a
paraplegic and paralyzed from the waist down.
"If there's anything Chris Reeve taught me, it's that you can't give
up," said Mitchell. "When I was on NBC's 'Ed,' my character used to
say 'Roll or Fold.' That's exactly what I hope to show others with
paralysis, not just through this show, but through my work with the
Foundation and the PRC.

Daryl Mitchell

"There are a disproportionate number of African-Americans living with
paralysis, as the Foundation's recent survey showed; about 17 percent
when compared to a little over 12 percent of the American population
that's African-American. More than anything, I want them to know that
they need to keep going, and I've personally experienced how the PRC
can help you do that."
"We're extremely proud of Chill's success," said Joe Canose, Vice
President, Quality of Life for the Christopher & Dana Reeve
Foundation. "He's a great example and role model to those who live
with paralysis. When people like Chill succeed despite tremendous
odds, it brings a tremendous message of hope to all of us, but
especially to those who really need it."
Located in Short Hills, N.J. and Westlake Village, Calif., the
Paralysis Resource Center (PRC) is a program of the Christopher & Dana
Reeve Foundation that offers resources on spinal cord injury,
paralysis and mobility-related disabilities. The PRC's mission is to
be a comprehensive, national source of information for people living
with paralysis and their caregivers to promote health, foster
involvement in the community and improve quality of life. It provides
quality information on paralysis in a variety of ways; through
highly-trained Information Specialists who can be contacted via
telephone at 800-539-7309 or e-mail; through in-person visits to its
offices; or through its National Clearinghouse Library of
paralysis-related publications available for free loan through
interlibrary loan programs. For more information, please visit
www.paralysis.org.