 |
Hello John,
It’s Gabby Giffords. On January 8, 2011 — 15 years ago today — my life forever changed when a gunman attempted to assassinate me while I was hosting a constituent event in Tucson, Arizona.
Six innocent people were killed that day: Christina-Taylor, Dorothy, Judge John Roll, Phyllis, Dorwan, and Gabe. I’ll never forget their names. Twelve others were injured.
That shooting turned my life upside down. The bullet damaged the left side of my brain, where language is processed, leading to a condition called aphasia. While speaking is still difficult for me, I have never given up on my recovery journey, even on the most difficult days.
The anniversary of this shooting is a painful one, but it also serves as a reminder of the way that we can come together in the wake of tragedy. I relearned how to walk and talk, and became a stronger Gabby — a healing journey that I continue on to this day.
Two years after I was shot, another life-altering shooting occurred — this time at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, where 20 children and six adults were murdered.
I knew in that moment I had to do something, so Mark Kelly and I founded GIFFORDS with the mission to end gun violence and create a safer future for our nation’s communities.
When we founded GIFFORDS, many people warned us that it would be political poison to stand up against the gun lobby. They had millions of dollars at their disposal, and would use every cent to drown us out.
But the progress we’ve made is undeniable. We’ve beaten back the NRA and made gun safety a winning issue, thanks to supporters like you.
Now, we face an inflection point. President Trump’s administration is working to roll back our progress on gun safety — putting all of their weight towards flooding our streets with more guns and helping their gun manufacturing buddies profit.
I know we have what it takes to end the gun violence epidemic in our country. But I cannot do it alone.
If you've stored your info with ActBlue, we'll process your contribution instantly.
That day in Tucson captured national attention — a sitting Congresswoman shot in the head. But the truth is that today, being shot isn’t rare. Gun violence is a national crisis and now the leading cause of death for American kids and teens.
Make no mistake: the fight isn’t over yet, and the headwinds we face are stiff. But if we all keep working together, I know that someday, there will be a future where we no longer live under the constant threat of gun violence.
With courage,
Gabby Giffords
Paid For By Gallego for Arizona
Use of military rank, job titles, and photographs in uniform do not imply endorsement by the Department of the Navy or the Department of Defense.
This email was sent to [email protected]. Emails like this are a critical tool for our campaign's fundraising and organizing efforts. If you'd like to receive only the most important emails going forward, tell us at this link. Or, if you need to, you can unsubscribe here. If you would like to support Ruben's campaign for Senate, please consider making a donation today.