Gabrielle Giffords and I during the November 2008 election.
In the fall of 2008, I worked for the Congressional campaign of Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson, Arizona. Quite honestly, it was one of the hardest jobs I ever had. Long days, long nights of phone calls, door knocking, lost sleep, meetings and fundraising stretched us to the limit. After the election was over I slept for an entire week.
Needless to say, I believe the experience was for the greater good. And I met some amazing people, one of whom is Gabby.
Gabby loves people. There’s no doubt. Her speeches were effortless. To this day I channel her energy and skill when I speak in public. She made a wonderful Congressional representative and I am certain made an incredible difference for the people of southern Arizona, and continues to inspire people throughout the globe.
Some of my fellow campaign staff, including Ron Barber, who was shot on January 8 and thankfully survived.
At times the images from her in the hospital scared me…it wasn’t the Gabby that I remembered. I could not wrap my head around it all.
Yet she was in there. Watching her recovery was like watching a graceful dance. Sometimes you trip, or cannot learn the exact step right away, but you persevere and carry your head high with gratitude. That was her: shot, broken, yet still smiling. That’s Gabby.
Fast forward to March of 2014. I had rare pregnancy complication that caused me to lose my son and massive, ‘catastrophic’ they called it, amounts of blood. I had a long road to recovery, and there I was, channeling the very energy Gabby emanated from her own tragedy.
During a routine kidney dialysis.
Broken, unable to grasp what had happened, speak or walk right away, I could only exercise my gratitude with an in-bed dance, a thumbs up, or a smile. My Tucsonan family cried when they saw such similarity between us. It helped them gain the confidence that everything would be okay.
If you are ever in a position so broken that you cannot recognize yourself – and I hope you are not – remember that your spirit is stronger than your physical body. Channel it, and take it one tiny victory at a time.
I wrote the post below on January 11, 2011, shortly after the tragedy.
We are all contemplating the whys regarding the loss of lives in Tucson, Arizona on Saturday, including undeserving adults and a child who was simply examining the proverbial “when I grow up.”
I want to share some thoughts. I had the privilege to work as a staffer on Rep. Gabrielle Giffords campaign for congress in Tucson in 2008.
Gabby is a star.
I don’t mean just a political rising star or media star. I mean that she exudes a warmth, brightness and gravitational pull beyond words.
She is a very warm person who can change the energy of a room upon entrance, even if she has come for a political debate. I never have seen her down, and let me tell you, on a stressful campaign in a swing district from where she comes, this is a HUGE feat. You can disagree with her and she treats you just the same. Loving and fearless, she believes a job to serve her constituents is exactly that, grassroots (what she calls cactus roots) organizing and feedback from whom she represents. If you meet with her at a “Congress on Your Corner” or call her office you are guaranteed a response. It is these responses that let us know we matter in a world where doors are often shut in our faces.
Extraordinarily bright and gifted she knows the issues inside and out. And yes, she may use talking points, but if you are willing and have the time, she is willing to delve deeper and really flush out any topic for discussion. One of her favorite and passionate topics is the development of solar energy. According to Gabby, “We have it available so let’s use it!” She can intellectually discuss details of almost any part of solar energy – grids, batteries, arrays, transmission…it is difficult to stump her.
She also has a strong gravitational pull. You want to be around her. Learning from her, watching her speak, riding a horse in Willcox, receiving a hug, and enjoying local music like Calexico with her. Just being in her presence you hold your head up higher. And you don’t have the feeling that she would rather be somewhere else.
When I see other representatives say that she works for the greater good rather than partisanship I can without doubt attest that they are telling the truth.
Gabrielle really is a star. And I think it is no coincidence her husband is an astronaut.
If anyone is going to survive a bullet through her head it is Gabby. There is a long, long road to recovery yet and I hope that everyone can keep her in your thoughts. I also hope that we can continue to think about the families who’ve lost loved ones at this tragic time. People who were out doing their civic duty as Americans. People who were also inspired by Gabby.
In memory of all lives lost or shattered due to the events in Tucson, Arizona January 8, 2011. Christina-Taylor Green; Dorothy “Dot” Morris; U.S. District Judge John M. Roll; Phyllis Schneck; Dorwan Stoddard; and Gabe Zimmerman.
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