Giffords Opens Her Eyes
Politico reports:
TUCSON, Ariz. — Simple sentiments, spoken by family and some of her closest friends in Congress, inspired the “miracle” of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords’ open eyes Wednesday evening.
Surrounded in her hospital room by her husband, her parents, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the Arizona Democrat lifted her lids for the first time since a would-be assassin fired a bullet into through her brain Saturday during a rampage that killed six people in her native Tucson.
“We had been telling her that she was inspiring the country with her courage and that we couldn’t wait to take her out to pizza and a weekend away,” Gillibrand, a New York Democrat, said. “Then after she heard our voices and the encouragement of [her husband] Mark [Kelly] and her parents, she struggled briefly and opened her eyes for the very first time. It was a miracle to witness.”
The nation has been riveted by each turn in Giffords’ recovery, from early reports that she could still squeeze a hand after the attack to her lifting two fingers to giving a thumbs-up.
It was President Barack Obama, in the midst of an emotional and unifying speech at a University of Arizona service for the victims, who broke the news of Giffords’ latest sign of recovery.
“Gabby opened her eyes,” he told a cheering crowd.
Obama, who also visited the hospital, was not in the room at the time. But he said Kelly granted him permission to relay the good news.
