A challenge is met





RECOVERY—Former Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords speaks to the audience with her husband, retired astronaut Mark Kelly, at her side during a Jan. 13 Thousand Oaks Distinguished Speakers event.

RECOVERY—Former Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords speaks to the audience with her husband, retired astronaut Mark Kelly, at her side during a Jan. 13 Thousand Oaks Distinguished Speakers event.

The speaker approached the podium at the Civic Arts Plaza last week and talked for just over half a minute. But rather than feeling cheated, audience members stood and cheered when former Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords had finished.

Giffords is making the rounds on a national speaking tour with her husband, former astronaut and space shuttle commander Mark Kelly.

“I thought the fact she was able to get up and speak in front of all those people was pretty cool,” said audience member Mikey Cordes, 11, of Newbury Park.

Friends had given him and his mother, Jessica, tickets to the event.

“My mom told me what happened to her, and I didn’t know if she would be able to talk,” Mikey said.

Four years ago the Democrat was doing what her husband called “one of the most basic things you can do in a democracy”— meeting with constituents— at an event called Congress on Your Corner at a Safeway grocery store, when a gunman began shooting. He hit 18 people, six of whom died, including Judge John Roll and 9-year-old Christina- Taylor Green.

The youngster was next in line to meet Giffords, according to Kelly, who spoke for about an hour before introducing his wife as his hero.

“Despite putting a bullet through her head, he (the gunman) has not put a dent in her spirit and her desire to continue some form of public service,” Kelly said.

Giffords walked on stage with a limp, and her speech was halted due to a language disorder called aphasia. Kelly explained that his wife has trouble transmitting information.

Despite her difficulties, she spoke with enthusiasm about her improvement since coming out of the coma that followed being shot.

“It’s been a long, hard haul, but I’m getting better,” she said. “My spirit is strong as ever.”

Giffords ended her comments by encouraging the audience to join her in helping to make the world a better place.

“Get involved with your community. Be a leader. Set an example. Be passionate. Be courageous. Be your best,” she said.

Giffords was then joined by Kelly for a Q-and-A period. Kelly did most of the speaking on subjects ranging from Giffords’ many activities—she studies French horn and Spanish, rides her bike and does yoga—to Kelly’s favorite space movies— he said “Apollo 13” was very accurate.

Despite being asked about gun control, the couple barely touched on the subject, which surprised Giffords fan Stephanie Mehoves of Thousand Oaks.

“She and her husband started an organization to help fight gun violence. I wish they’d focused a little more on that,” she said.

Americans for Responsible Solutions, the organization founded by the gun-owning couple, supports the Second Amendment but calls for keeping guns out of the hands of criminals and the mentally ill through the use of background checks.

At the Jan. 13 talk, Kelly suggested the country does have a problem with guns.

“It’s clear we need to identify people (who might need mental health help),” he said regarding gun control.

Asked about the greatest lessons she’s learned, Giffords said, “To be grateful for friends and family, and to live every day to the fullest.”


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