Hopeful news from Tucson
Gabrielle Giffords' husband Mark Kelly discusses her improving condition
Gabrielle Giffords and Mark Kelly
In the days since the shooting of Arizona congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson, her husband Mark Kelly has been by her side nearly every waking hour, holding her hand.
Now as her status is upgraded from critical to serious, Kelly, a NASA commander based in Houston, is opening up about his wife's condition and his experiences.
Houston's ABC 13 will air the first post-shooting interview with Kelly this afternoon at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. Kelly spoke with Tom Koch in Tucson about Giffords' improving condition — Kelly says she plays with his wedding ring, loosens his tie and even once gave him a neck rub — as well as the support he's received from around the world.
He also talks about the events of Jan. 8, describing erroneous reports that Giffords had died as "the worst 15 minutes" of his life.
Kelly will also appear on a special episode of 20/20 called "The Congresswoman & The Astronaut: An American Story of Love and Strength" airing tonight at 9 p.m. Featuring an in-depth interview with Diane Sawyer, the special tells the story of their relationship and of Giffords' recovery from the man that is closest to her.
"This is one of the most inspiring stories. These two people with the two high-octane careers finding each other later in their lives and this love story. The two of them together is something you'll never forget," Sawyer said on Good Morning America, acknowledging that it's a story that has made her uncharacteristically emotional.
