Arizona Miracle: God Bless Daniel Hernandez, Young Intern Who Helped Save Gabby Giffords’ Life During Tucson Shooting (video)
Posted By Vicki McClure Davidson on January 10, 2011
The horrific shooting in Tucson, Arizona on Saturday was the bloodiest, most appalling massacre in Arizona’s history, and I’ve lived here since seventh grade. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was the target of the assassination attempt by a mentally disturbed man, Jared Loughner, who had hated the conservative Democrat congresswoman since 2007 — six people were murdered and many others shot.
However, it could have been much worse. Several people at the “Congress on Your Corner” event tackled the crazed gunman, took away his gun, and held him down until police arrived, not knowing that he had an additional 60-plus rounds for his Glock. Congressional aide intern Daniel Hernandez, just 20 years old, who took a few first aid classes in high school and had been working with her for less than a week, is being credited for helping to stop her bleeding and saving Rep. Gabrielle Giffords’ life.
There were many regular folks who became heroes that day, and Hernandez was one of them.
God bless you, Daniel. God bless all the others who put their own safety aside and courageously stopped further bloodshed.
MSNBC – Giffords’ aide Hernandez provided first aid to congresswoman
Daniel Hernandez, Man Who Helped Save Congresswoman Giffords
From AZ Central, Daniel Hernandez, intern, stays by Gabrielle Giffords’ side:
Daniel Hernandez had been U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords’ intern for five days when she was shot Saturday outside Tucson.
The junior at the University of Arizona was helping check people in at the “Congress on Your Corner” event when he heard gunfire. He was about 30 feet from the congresswoman. When the shots began, he ran toward them.
“I don’t even know if the gunfire had stopped,” he said Saturday night as he kept a vigil at the University Medical Center cafeteria, gathered near a TV watching tributes and getting updates.
When the shots began that morning, he saw many people lying on the ground, including a young girl. Some were bleeding. Hernandez said he moved from person to person checking pulses.
“First the neck, then the wrist,” he said. One man was already dead. Then he saw Giffords. She had fallen and was lying contorted on the sidewalk. She was bleeding.
Using his hand, Hernandez applied pressure to the entry wound on her forehead. He pulled her into his lap, holding her upright against him so she wouldn’t choke on her own blood. Giffords was conscious, but quiet.
Ron Barber, Giffords’ district director, was next to her. Hernandez told a bystander how to apply pressure to one of Barber’s wounds.
Barber told Hernandez, “Make sure you stay with Gabby. Make sure you help Gabby.”
Hernandez used his hand to apply pressure until someone from inside Safeway brought him clean smocks from the meat department. He used them to apply pressure on the entrance wound, unaware there was an exit wound. He never let go of her.
He stayed with Giffords until paramedics arrived. They strapped her to a board and loaded her into an ambulance. Hernandez climbed in with her. On the ride to the hospital, he held her hand. She squeezed his back.
When they arrived at the hospital, Hernandez was soaked in blood. His family brought him clean clothes because the FBI took his for evidence.
[...]
The fact that Hernandez was nearby and able to react quickly probably saved Giffords’ life, said state Rep. Matt Heinz, D-Tucson, and a hospital physician. He talked to Hernandez at the hospital after the shooting.
Eight hours after the shooting, Hernandez stood with Giffords’ friends and staff and told them what had happened. The tall, strong 20-year-old said, “Of course you’re afraid, you just kind of have to do what you can.”
Update from Rosa Alonso at My Latino Voice, Heroism and Hope: Intern Daniel Hernandez Saves Gabrielle Giffords:
The heroism and medical tranining of Congresswoman Gifford’s new intern, Daniel Hernandez, is credited with saving her life. Daniel heard shots and ran in their direction, knowing there would be injured people but never thinking the gunman would still be there. A brave and compassionate human being, Daniel is a hero.
[...]
The heroism comes with a few twists of irony – and hope:
* Daniel, a 20 year old young man who focused on saving lives, and Jared Loughner, a 22 year old who planned the horrific event and killed 6 people, including a 9 year old girl, and injured many others, including Rep. Giffords, who remains in critical condition. Hope.
* Daniel is an American Latino in Arizona, the state that Sheriff Dupnik called “a mecca for prejudice and bigotry,” and where new immigration laws have created a difficult climate for anyone of Hispanic descent, citizen and undocumented alike. Would a law enforcement officer stop Daniel under SB 1070 because he “looks” Hispanic? Look again. Hope.
* Daniel is openly gay and an active supporter of GLBT rights. He is a member of the City of Tucson Commission on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Issues. Yet another community under the veil of violence. Hope.
Do any of these “labels” matter? No. Daniel Hernandez is a hero, period. But that is just the point. They shouldn’t. Perhaps a glimmer of “hope” in Arizona – and for this great country of ours.
UPDATE, from New York Times on the other heroes at the shooting:
Officials said the attack could have been even more devastating had several victims not overwhelmed the suspect as he tried to reload his gun. A bystander, Patricia Maisch, who was waiting to meet Ms. Giffords, grabbed the gun’s magazine as the gunman dropped it while trying to reload after firing 31 rounds, officials said. Two men, Roger Salzgeber and Bill D. Badger, then overwhelmed the gunman, and another man, Joseph Zamudio, restrained his flailing legs.
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