Former White House Press Secretary James Brady who survived the 1981 assassination attempt on Ronald Reagan has died at the age of 73.
Brady was left permanently disabled after being shot in the head on March 30, 1981, by John Hinckley, Jr., outside the Washington Hilton Hotel.
News media erroneously announced that he had died. Brady, later in life, became an active and outspoken advocate for gun control, and lobbied for stricter handgun and assault-weapon laws, AP reported.
A federal law requiring a background check on handgun buyers bears Brady's name, and The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence is named in his honor.
Although Brady returned to the White House briefly, he was allowed to keep the title of presidential press secretary and his White House salary until Reagan left office January 1989.
"Jim touched the lives of so many and has been a wonderful husband, father, friend and role model," his family said in a statement. "We are enormously proud of Jim's remarkable accomplishments — before he was shot on the fateful day in 1981 while serving at the side of President Ronald Reagan and in the days, months and years that followed.
"Jim Brady's zest for life was apparent to all who knew him, and despite his injuries and the pain he endured every day, he used his humor, wit and charm to bring smiles to others and make the world a better place."
