Giffords' Shooting Anniversary Meaningful for Muskego Rehab Facility

Editor's note: In a local news scope, there's a lot to garner our attention, but we're glad for our readers who give us a heads up on local ties to national events. Much of the info provided below is thanks to Lisa Alberte, RN, with Acres of Hope and Aspirations, a brain injury rehabilitation facility nestled in a residential area of Muskego. Alberte was featured along with her patient, Winlom Woods, shortly after Gabrielle Giffords was shot in the head on Jan. 18, 2011.

Jan. 8, 2012 marked the one-year anniversary of the tragic shooting of 19 people at an event in Tucson, Arizona. The day was an effort of “Together We Heal” that commemorated the first anniversary of that tragic day in 2011, when U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) and eighteen other citizens were shot during a public event held at a Tucson shopping center. Six of the shooting victims died that day. This year, in order to honor Tucson’s response in the aftermath of this tragedy, many community and grassroots organizations have come together to provide a variety of commemorative events that will take place throughout January 2012.

Congresswoman Giffords had a high-profile public service career and has remained in the public eye after being shot in the head. She continues to remain public about her brain injury, her recovery and her struggles to overcome this tragic situation. Her main support has remained with her husband Mark Kelly, the Navy captain and space shuttle commander.  She may be re-entering the political career over the next several months.   

A resident of Acres of Hope and Aspirations, former National Guardsman Winlom Woods, suffered a similar brain injury when he was shot in the head by a sniper in the Iraq War in 2006. No one thought he would ever walk or speak again.  The bullet is still in his brain, and always will be. It's too dangerous to remove it.  Since being shot, he has lived through 11 surgeries, 2 blood clots, cadaver bone in his skull, vena caver filter in his body and platinum weight in his right eyelid.  He may be facing another surgery due to medical complications from the bullet. He faces a tough, unpredictable road to recovery. Shortly after Congresswoman Giffords was shot, Woods was interviewed by Fox 6 News to offer public support and hope to Giffords. 

For both Woods and Giffords, no one could guarantee that their brains eventually would be restored to former level of functioning. The brain is still a great mystery, and although significant strides have been made in treating brain trauma, much remains unknown and unpredictable with significant medical risks and set backs. Both are truly remarkable for their courage and will to strive and live.  The biggest thing we can guarantee is to offer is hope and healing.

Although both Congresswoman Giffords and Woods remain an inspiration to many that meet them, both are faced with daily cognitive, physical, and emotional deficits caused by the brain injury.  Please take a moment to reflect and remember this tragedy. Keep those in your thoughts and prayers like Giffords and Woods who need all the support and hope they can get. Winlom could sure use a big community hug from Muskego right now as he faces more medical and life-risking complications.

At Acres of Hope and Aspirations today, we will reflect, we will mend, and we will mourn. Like many in Tucson we focus on emotional healing, both individual and community-wide. For many families affected by brain injury, grieving and healing has become on-going and consequential parts of their lives. 

A brain injury occurs every 19 seconds and changes, alters or takes a life. The only true cure is prevention. Protect your head in everything you do.