died Saturday morning at the Good Samaritan Hospital from complications related to his quadriplegia, according to brother Tom Callahan. He was 59.

Callahan, a quadriplegic since a traffic accident at age 21, is best known for his cartoons that consistently stepped beyond the boundaries of political correctness. His work appeared in more than 200 newspapers and magazines.

"His own perspective was unique, but it spoke to a lot of us," said Deborah Levin, a friend and former agent. "We all have those dark places, but we just don't have the talent or vehicle to express them. John did."

Callahan was the author of 10 books, including an autobiography called, "Don't Worry He Won't Get Far on Foot: The Autobiography of a Dangerous Man." Actor Robin Williams bought the rights to a movie based on the book, but it has never been produced.

He wore many hats, including songwriter, English teacher, filmmaker and creator of two animated television shows. Most recently, he had been pursuing a master's degree in counseling at

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, recalled the day when Callahan wheeled shyly into one of his classes at PSU in the late 1970s.

"I just thought he was some crazy guy who wanted to show me his drawings," Plympton, now of New York, said Sunday. "Later, I sat down with him and realized how talented he really was."

Callahan's drawings and shows, which often featured characters with physical disabilities, had the ability to both uplift and offend.

"He offended a lot of handicapped people and they wrote nasty letters to the editor not knowing that Callahan himself was tragically handicapped," Plympton said. "What he had to say was quite important, especially during these politically correct times."

But many others thanked him for creating work that portrayed people with physical disbilities as humans, rather than objects of pity, said longtime friend Kevin Mullane.

"A lot of handicapped people really liked what he was doing because they felt it was important that others didn't treat them with kid gloves," Tom Callahan said.

Jim Blashfield, a friend who worked with John Callahan at the Clinton Street Quarterly, said the cartoonist rejected the idea that he was an inspiration for others. "Anyone who knew him knew he didn't want to be a symbol of anything. That stuff really bugged him."

Still, some friends said he realized cartooning could be its own form of counseling. Tom Callahan said his brother often tried to reach out to others who could relate to his physical disabilities, as well as his bouts with alcoholism. That interest led to his work at PSU.

Callahan's health precluded him from finishing his first term at PSU, but friends say he always kept his sense of humor.

"Right down to the last moment, he could still crack a joke," said Tom Callahan.

John Callahan is survived by his mother, Rosemary, five siblings, and 11 nieces and nephews. Services have not yet been finalized.

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