The January 8th Memorial
First Responders
Symbols by artist Rebeca Méndez
Shield
Law Enforcement Officer / Paramedics / Firefighters / Emergency Medical Technicians
The shield as the symbol for those that protect us to preserve the peace. The first responders like the law enforcement officers, paramedics, firefighters and EMT’s who are always the first ones to show up, no matter how bad the calamity, to bring order back in chaos.
Angel
Daniel Hernandez / Bill Badger / Patricia Maisch / Roger Salzgeber / Anna Balis
The citizens who rushed to aid seconds after the shooting were guardian angels. Bill Badger, Patricia Maisch and Roger Salzgeber who disarmed and subdued the gunman. Intern Daniel Hernández whose quick first aid actions saved the critically wounded Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, and similarly shopper Anna Balis who stopped Ron Barber from bleeding to death by applying pressure to the bullet wound on his leg.
Caduceus
First Aid / The Trauma Unit / The Doctors / The Nurses / Banner-University Medical Center
“Brussels sprouts saved my life,” said survivor Suzi Hileman, referring to the couple Nancy and David Bowman, a nurse and doctor respectively, who were shopping at Safeway, and rushed out to administer CPR and first aid. Bystanders Vickie Stubbs and Steve Rayle assisted with the medical training they had. The Trauma Unit at Banner-University Medical Center then sprung into action to perform life-saving surgeries amid the surge of casualties, and whose competency in crisis became a symbol of civic cohesion and community pride.
Community
The outpouring of support and solidarity among Tucsonians / The memorial service lead by President Obama
The shooting was a national tragedy. Remarkably, in this moment of crisis the community responded with kindness, resilience and solidarity. Night after night people gathered at three makeshift memorials (at the hospital, congressional office and the grocery store) to burn candles, leave flowers, poems and handiworks of all kinds. Many hugs were given. Thousands lined the streets for each funeral. President Obama delivered a speech at the Together We Thrive: Tucson and America memorial on January 12, 2011, held in the McKale Center on the University of Arizona campus, attended by 27,000 people and watched live by more than 30 million viewers.
Balance
The FBI Victim Services / The Plea from the survivors not to hand out the death penalty
The families of the deceased and the survivors of the mass shooting expressed deep gratitude for the assistance they received from Pima County’s Victim Services, who helped them cope with the trauma of the event and lasting physical, emotional and/or financial consequences. Some of the survivors and witnesses have become outspoken advocates for increased attention to mental health and smarter gun control measures. At the trial of the gunman–convicted to life in prison without parole–the prosecutor told him: “Almost all the victims you shot and the families of those you killed came to us and said they didn’t want to seek the death penalty in this case. What you did is wrong, but they felt it wasn’t right to execute a man with a mental illness.”
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