Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords will step down from the
House this week to focus on he recovery from a gunshot wound to the
head, but she vowed in a two-minute video announcement of her decision
that she will be back.
Giffords has made a stunning recovery after being shot in the head by a gunman who opened fire while the Arizona congresswoman was meeting with constituents at a suburban Arizona supermarket in January 2011. Six people were killed and besides Gifford, 12 others were wounded in the shooting rampage Jan. 8, 2010.
The bullet entered Giffords’ head just over her left eye and traveled through the left side of her brain. In an interview with ABC News’ Diane Sawyer 10 months after the shooting, husband Mark Kelly said: “It’s clear that any lower, it would’ve killed her, any further midline, it would’ve killed her. If it crossed hemispheres, it would’ve killed her. Any further outboard, she’d never be able to speak again. Any higher, she’d never be able to walk.”
By November 2010, Giffords had regained her ability to speak, thanks to a grueling course of speech and physical therapy. But she was still struggling with aphasia, which was shown in the home videos Kelley shot during her rehabilitation.
She said in the video today that she needs to focus on her rehabilitation.
“Thank you for your prayers and for giving me time to recover,” she says, speaking clearly but slowly and haltingly, her eyes bright and focused.
“I have more work to do on my recovery and so to do what is best for Arizona I will step down this week,” she said in the video, which was posted on her website and on YouTube. “I’m getting better every day. My spirit is high. I will return and we will work together for Arizona and this great country.”
Giffords has made a stunning recovery after being shot in the head by a gunman who opened fire while the Arizona congresswoman was meeting with constituents at a suburban Arizona supermarket in January 2011. Six people were killed and besides Gifford, 12 others were wounded in the shooting rampage Jan. 8, 2010.
The bullet entered Giffords’ head just over her left eye and traveled through the left side of her brain. In an interview with ABC News’ Diane Sawyer 10 months after the shooting, husband Mark Kelly said: “It’s clear that any lower, it would’ve killed her, any further midline, it would’ve killed her. If it crossed hemispheres, it would’ve killed her. Any further outboard, she’d never be able to speak again. Any higher, she’d never be able to walk.”
By November 2010, Giffords had regained her ability to speak, thanks to a grueling course of speech and physical therapy. But she was still struggling with aphasia, which was shown in the home videos Kelley shot during her rehabilitation.
She said in the video today that she needs to focus on her rehabilitation.
“Thank you for your prayers and for giving me time to recover,” she says, speaking clearly but slowly and haltingly, her eyes bright and focused.
“I have more work to do on my recovery and so to do what is best for Arizona I will step down this week,” she said in the video, which was posted on her website and on YouTube. “I’m getting better every day. My spirit is high. I will return and we will work together for Arizona and this great country.”
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