The tragic turn in Gabrielle Giffords’ life: The Tuscon assassination bid during her career service. Must read!!!

Updated On March 18, 2024 | Published By: Shahid | In controversy , Health , Married

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Gabrielle Giffords’ personal life

Gabrielle Giffords is a strong and bold American Congresswoman from Arizona. Her personal life is simple and full of happiness. The tabloids spared her of any rumors or gossip related to her love life.

Born with a silver spoon in her mouth, Gabrielle married Mark Kelly, a Navy veteran and former NASA astronaut in 2007. Both make a great and happy couple.

Caption: Gabrielle Giffords and Mark Kelly(Source: The New York Times)

Gabrielle Giffords’ political life

Gabrielle Giffords is a strong-worded and daring politician. She joined politics in order to help her community, society, and nation. Her progress to the top was rapid and she was in charge of many important portfolios during her office tenure. She had openly spoken on Mexican border security, violence, and drug trafficking.

She actively participated in and pushed heavily for tax reliefs for small commercial ventures and for various health reforms. But then with every push for ‘change’ comes resistance and criticism. Her ideas on illegal immigration and universal health care were not liked by all. She was the target of anger for many and her office was vandalized in 2010.

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The assassination bid on Gabrielle Giffords: The Tucson shootout

This office vandalism incident should have rang a bell for Gabrielle. But she ignored this call and continued with her work without much security. On that fateful morning of January 8, 2011, Gabrielle Giffords was holding a meeting ‘Congress on your corner’ outside the Safeway grocery store in Casas Adobes, Arizona. A young man ran towards the assembly and opened fire.

He shot Gabrielle in the head and fired rounds at the crowd. Six people were killed including nine-year-old Christina-Taylor Green. Gabrielle Giffords’ intern, Daniel Hernandez Jr. carried out the first aid on her and was credited with saving her life during the crucial moments. Thirteen people were injured.

Similarly, Gabrielle was in critical condition, and in spite of surgery and the best medical care, she was left with severe residual brain damage. Her husband was in Houston at that time and on getting the news immediately rushed back home.

The assailant was later recognized as 22-year-old Jared Lee Loughner who had attended a similar event of Gabrielle in 2007. He was mentally unstable and obsessed with Giffords. Also, he refused to divulge his motive for the attack. He had used a 9×19 mm Glock 19 semi-automatic pistol with a 33-round magazine for this crime.

Likewise, he was hit on the back of his head by a bystander and overpowered by Bill Badger, a 74-year-old retired US Army Colonel, who himself had also received a gunshot during this firing. Furthermore, Maisch and bystanders Roger Sulzgeber and Joseph Zamudio further restrained the assailant till the police arrived.

Caption: Representative Gabrielle Giffords on the stretcher(Source: The New York Times)

Gabrielle Giffords’ steady recuperation and measures toward gun control

Gabrielle Giffords was making a steady recovery and once she stabilized she was discharged home. She attended extensive rehabilitation programs and resigned from office in 2012 to concentrate on her health and recovery.

In 2013, she and her husband went and met the relatives of the victims killed or injured during this shoot-out. The couple is advocating gun responsibility and not necessarily gun control. They want tougher gun laws and background comprehensive checks including mental health evaluations on those applying for the first time for ammunition.

Caption: Gabrielle Giffords recovery(Source: ABC News – Go)

They have started the initiative ‘Americans for Responsible Solutions’. Giffords and Mark also do tours, TV shows, and interviews to highlight the problems of irresponsible gun use and spread the message of gun responsibility.

Giffords has a permanent ventriculoperitoneal shunt in her head for hydrocephalus. She has difficulty talking and vision. Her right side was paralyzed.

Her husband and family have been her greatest support and strength during the whole ordeal. Similarly, her husband has penned a memoir for her and a Navy ship has been named Gabrielle Giffords.

Being a public figure is great, but it has its associated perils and risks!

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Short bio Gabrielle Giffords

Gabrielle Giffords is an American politician from Arizona State, USA. She is a Democratic member of the US House of Representatives. She held her office from 3^rd January 2007 until her resignation on 25^th January 2012. An assassination attempt on her left her with residual severe brain damage. More bio…

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