Gabby Giffords and Gun Violence Survivors Begin Trauma-Healing Tour

More than a decade after she survived being shot in the head, former Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords is traveling the country to urge gun-violence survivors to speak out about their experiences. She kicked off her nationwide tour in Denver on Friday, September 8.

“My recovery is a daily fight, but fighting makes me stronger,” said Giffords, who can utter short sentences, during a speech at the First Baptist Church. “Today I struggle to speak, but I have not lost my voice. America needs all of us to speak out.”

The goal of the tour is to “turn pain into action,” according to GIFFORDS, the nonprofit started by the one-time U.S. representative to advocate for gun reform and support survivors.

During an all-day training during on this first day of the tour, therapists talked about…