Photo: Jonathan Gibby/2012 Getty Images
In a beautifully shot YouTube video released today, an expressive Representative Gabrielle Giffords announced she will be stepping down from her congressional seat this week to focus on her recovery. A little over a year ago, Giffords was holding a rally outside a Tucson grocery story when 22-year-old Jared Lee Loughner opened fire, injuring well over a dozen, killing six, and shooting Giffords in the head. While the congresswoman’s recovery has been nothing short of miraculous, it’s clear from her halting speech that she has a ways to go. “I’m getting better,” Giffords says toward the end of the video, then flashes a wide smile. “I will return.”
