On January 8th the world was shocked to hear that there was a mass shooting at a supermarket where a US Congresswoman was talking to her constituents. Initial reports said that Rep Gabrielle Giffords was killed in the shooting, but those reports were quickly denied as we learned the beautiful woman, inside and out, was shot in the head and was fighting for her life. Days after the shooting the world waited for updates on her condition that consisted of her holding her husband’s hand and telling him that she loved him. For the last five months we have only seen glimpses of her, but never her face. That is until now, when she bravely posted the first pictures of her smile since that horrible day on her
Facebook.
On May 17th P.K. Weis of SouthwestPhotoBank.com, a longtime friend of Giffords went to visit her at TIRR Memorial Hermann Hospital and took the first pictures of her since that fateful day, upon her request. The day that these pictures were taken were special to her because it was the day after her husband launched in the Endeavor and the day before she had her cranioplasty. The photographer described that day in a statement and had this to say about his friend of over a decade, “It was very inspiring to see how much she had recovered in 4½ months. I was excited to see her and to see her smile. She was glad to see me, was in a good mood, smiling and laughing and seemed to enjoy the experience. I certainly did, too.â€
Even though most of us have never met her, we feel the same way as Weis as we look at these pictures. We are inspired by her recovery in such a short time, and we are enjoying seeing a woman who has been through such hell looking so happy and smiling.
Whenever you are having a bad day, look at these pictures and let it give you hope that someone who was shot in the head could be doing so well and have a such a huge smile on her face just a few short months after such a harrowing experience. Your bad day probably can’t compare to that.
I really hope her recovery continues to do well because I can’t wait to see this admirable woman back at the House of Representatives and teach those Congressmen a thing or two about being admirable and caring about the people they represent!
Seriously Rep Gabrielle Giffords is my inspiration and I respect the sh!t out of her because of all she has done before and after that awful day.
