Associated PressAugust 13, 2012
TUCSON — Former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and her husband are moving back to Tucson a year and a half after she moved to Houston to undergo intensive physical and speech therapy after being shot at a political event.
Giffords' husband, retired astronaut Mark E. Kelly, told the Arizona Daily Star that his wife would continue therapy in Tucson but not the six to eight hours a day she had been doing in Houston.
"It's time for her to get back to as much of a normal life as possible after this type of catastrophic injury," Kelly said. "Obviously, a big thing for her is to come home."
Giffords was among 19 people shot in the attack. Six died.
Jared Lee Loughner pleaded guilty Aug. 2 to the rampage as part of an agreement with prosecutors that would send him to prison for life and spare him a possible death sentence. His sentencing is set for Nov. 15.
Kelly told the Daily Star that Giffords kept talking about returning home.
"The second we realized [therapy] was going to start winding down, it was time for us to start looking forward to how we could get to Tucson," he said.
Kelly said he was confident Giffords would be up to speeches or interviews in the future, but he wasn't sure when.
"She does continue to get better, and I think she will for years and years," he said. "I have heard anecdotally from other people who have had these kind of injuries, if you remain focused and do the hard work, you will keep improving."
TUCSON — Former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and her husband are moving back to Tucson a year and a half after she moved to Houston to undergo intensive physical and speech therapy after being shot at a political event.
Giffords' husband, retired astronaut Mark E. Kelly, told the Arizona Daily Star that his wife would continue therapy in Tucson but not the six to eight hours a day she had been doing in Houston.
"It's time for her to get back to as much of a normal life as possible after this type of catastrophic injury," Kelly said. "Obviously, a big thing for her is to come home."
Giffords was among 19 people shot in the attack. Six died.
Jared Lee Loughner pleaded guilty Aug. 2 to the rampage as part of an agreement with prosecutors that would send him to prison for life and spare him a possible death sentence. His sentencing is set for Nov. 15.
Kelly told the Daily Star that Giffords kept talking about returning home.
"The second we realized [therapy] was going to start winding down, it was time for us to start looking forward to how we could get to Tucson," he said.
Kelly said he was confident Giffords would be up to speeches or interviews in the future, but he wasn't sure when.
"She does continue to get better, and I think she will for years and years," he said. "I have heard anecdotally from other people who have had these kind of injuries, if you remain focused and do the hard work, you will keep improving."