TUCSON, Ariz. — >>Editor's note: The above video is from a previously aired broadcast.
It's been 12 years since the mass shooting in Tucson that killed six people and wounded 13, including then-Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, but the story since then has been one of strength, healing, and resilience.
On Jan. 8, 2011, a gunman opened fire during a Congress "On your Corner" event in Tucson. Giffords was among those injured, sustaining a traumatic brain injury.
Since then, the Tucson native has championed anti-gun-violence causes, founding the Giffords organization while still on the road to recovery. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in July, 2022.
Giffords was recently selected as the 2023 Rose Parade Grand Marshal for embodying this year's theme, "Turning the Corner."
"No one has turned a bigger corner than our grand marshal Gabby Giffords,” said one broadcast announcer. “After an attack by a gunman in 2011, she showed true grit, working hard to regain her speech and mobility. While founding the Giffords organization to fight for gun safety legislation.”
Early Sunday morning Giffords addressed the date on Twitter, paying respects to the six people who lost their lives in the 2011 attack.
Gifford's husband, Senator Mark Kelly shared his thoughts as well, honoring the heroes who stepped in to save lives that day.
Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema also honored the fallen victims of the shooting, condemning the senseless act of violence.
The Tucson community recently completed the "Embrace" memorial, opening the monument on the 10th anniversary of the shooting two years ago.
Every year, the January 8th Memorial Bell Ringing Ceremony honors and remembers those who lost their lives in that shooting. It's a somber ceremony, but one that shows the strength and resilience of the Tucson community.
"Just like my recovery, progress happens step by step," Giffords said. "It starts with hope, and then the courage to act on that hope. Together, we can create a future free from gun violence."
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