House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi in the hospital room at time of congresswoman's latest improvement
Mark Kelly, the husband of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, is seen holding his wife's hand in the congresswoman's hospital room at University Medical Center on Sunday. The photo was made available by Giffords' office on Tuesday.
TUCSON, Ariz. — U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords opened her eyes for the first time since being shot in the head, President Barack Obama said Wednesday night at the memorial service for victims of the Tucson shootings.
"Gabby opened her eyes," Obama said to a loud cheer from the audience on the University of Arizona campus, adding that the congresswoman "knows we are here." Although the president wasn't in the room at the moment Giffords' eyes opened, he said her husband, astronaut Mark Kelly, had given him permission to break the news.House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, three of Giffords' close female friends in Congress, were in the hospital room at that time, NBC News confirmed.
"We had been telling her that she was inspiring the country with her courage and that we couldn't wait to take her out to pizza and a weekend away,” Gillibrand said in a statement. “Then after she heard our voices and the encouragement of Mark and her parents, she struggled briefly and opened her eyes for the very first time. It was a miracle to witness."
Gillibrand said on CNN that Giffords signaled by her raising hand that she was able to see.
Speaking on "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" on msnbc cable, Pelosi said: "We witnessed almost a miracle. We saw the power of prayer, the power of the effect of the excellence of her medical care and we saw a little girl power too because we were trying to amuse
Gabby, trying to get through to her about how much she was loved and missed in the Congress and what was waiting for her when she came back."
"And being there with her parents and her husband and when she opened her eyes was quite remarkable. ... It was a glorious, glorious experience. We thought we brought a little fun to the room and she reacted," she said.
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