The January 8th Memorial
Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords - Survivor
Symbols by artist Rebeca Méndez
Planet and Moon
Chairwoman of the House Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee
Gabby was the chairwoman of the House’s Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics. She is married to former astronaut and Space Shuttle Commander Mark E. Kelly. NASA chief Charles Bolden heralded Gabby as a strong advocate for the nation’s space program and a member of the NASA family.
Olive Branch and Scroll
Gun control legislation / Americans For Responsible Solutions
In January 2013, Giffords and her husband Mark launched an organization, now called “Giffords: Courage to Fight Gun Violence,” which works with elected officials and the general public to implement laws and policies to protect kids and communities from gun violence.
Capital
Washington D.C. / U.S. Congresswoman (D)
Gabby was a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives, where she represented Arizona’s 8th congressional district from January 3, 2007, until her resignation on January 25, 2012, after surviving an assassination attempt that left her severely injured. She is the third woman in Arizona’s history to be elected to the U.S. Congress.
Wedding Bands
Playing with Mark's ring while comatose, a sign that 'she is still Gabby' - a clear reason for hope'
“Gabby always loved playing with my wedding ring. At almost every meal, she’d slip the ring off my finger and move it from her thumb to her forefinger to her middle finger. On January 13, 2011, five days after Gabby was shot, I was sitting with her in her hospital room, holding her left hand with my left hand. She had opened her eyes very briefly the day before, but she still remained in a mostly comatose state. We didn’t know if she’d make it back at all. But then, suddenly, as she held my hand, her fingertips started exploring my ring, and then, despite seeming as if she was unconscious, she actually pulled the ring off, and began to move it from one of her fingers to the next for the next five minutes. She didn’t drop it once. For the first time since she was shot, I felt as if I had a clear reason for hope. She’s still Gabby,” I thought, “She’s going to pull out of this.”
Excerpt from Gabby, A Story of Courage, Love and Resilience by Gabrielle Giffords and Mark Kelly
Bicycle
Enthusiastic biker / Tour De Tucson
The assassination attempt on her life left Gabby mostly paralyzed on the right side of her body. This has not stopped her from literally getting back on the bike, and less than five years after she was gravely injured in the mass shooting, she rode the 40 mile route in Tucson’s annual charity bike ride, El Tour de Tucson.
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