Inspiring, Remarkable, Determined – Gabreille Giffords

Last night my wife and I were watching 20/20's exclusive interview between Diane Sawyer and Gabreielle Giffords along with millions of others.  I was moved by Giffords' story because it is filled with wonderful achievements and is just amazing, inspiring and hopeful.

Congresswoman Giffords received a gun shot wound to the head this past January when she was meeting constituents outside of a grocery store near Tucson.  She was critically injured, 13 others injured and 6 were killed.

Her road to recovery has been amazing and was the focal point of 20/20 last night.

Gabrielle Giffords has has to relearn everything she has ever learned.  The road has been difficult but her husband, astronaut Mark Kelly, has been encouraged to see her progress from not being able to communicate, to being able to signal with her hands, to eventually speaking again.  She is in therapy at least 3 times a week for hours at a time working on her speech.

Watching her in the piece on 20/20 last night made me hurt for her because you could see that she was trying to say something but the wrong word would come out but she would keep trying and eventually the right word or related word would come out.  It's been a tough road but has been helped along with music therapy.  singing songs has helped her come a long way in a short time.

Her doctors have said what she learns in a 2 hour therapy session takes weeks for other patients to master and comprehend.  She is showing drive and determination and through it all at the end of the show, both Gabby and Mark said that they wish they could have reached the troubled man that shot her before he pulled the trigger because they feel they could have done something for him.

Gabrielle Giffords is a testament to human spirit and survival.  With her determination that was showed on the program last night, if she continues on the road that she is on today, I have no doubt she will be returning to Congress.

Also amazing too, Gabby had to learn how to walk again.

There is much more to this story that I haven't mentioned.  If you get the opportunity I encourage you to watch the 20/20 episode online at abc.com.  A video from a previous 20/20 special is below.