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Gabby_ A Story of Courage and Hope - Alison Hanson [153]

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hospital in the University Medical Center (UMC). I took great comfort in knowing an experienced Navy trauma surgeon was managing Gabby’s care in Tucson. Dr. Peter Rhee, Captain, U.S. Navy, was crucial to Gabby’s survival. Go Navy! We would also like to thank Dr. Randy Friese, who first treated Gabby when she arrived in the emergency room and traveled with her to Houston after she was discharged. We deeply appreciate the incredible job done by Gabby’s neurosurgeons Mike Lemole and Marty Weinand, who performed multiple surgical procedures on Gabby during her two-week stay at UMC. Gabby’s nurses at the ICU were just amazing. These dedicated professionals are the unsung heroes of the medical community. Nursing staffers, including Tracy Culbert, Amanda Berner, and Joshua Coleman, spent two weeks caring for Gabby around the clock. They were impressive to watch. Gabby and the other victims benefited from the hands-on management of UMC CEO Kevin Burns, who paid close attention to every detail of their treatment. From the top administrators to the supportive folks who worked in the cafeteria or at the front desk, this was a very special group, perfect representatives of the caring citizens of the City of Tucson. We thank them for their tireless efforts.

As the events of January 8 unfolded, the Tucson Police and Fire Departments, Pima County Sheriff’s Department, and the City of Tucson all quickly flew into action. We want to personally thank Tucson Police Chief Roberto Villaseñor, Assistant Chief John Leavitt, Tucson Fire Chief Patrick Kelly, Sheriff Clarence Dupnick, and Mayor Bob Walkup. We want to thank U.S. Marshall David Gonzales for the help he provided to Gabby’s staff and to us, and we’re also grateful to former U.S. Attorney Dennis Burke and his staff, who assisted the victims and their families and kept us informed about the criminal proceedings. We want to thank the woman who married us and comforted Gabby while she was in the ICU in Tucson and later in Houston: Rabbi Stephanie Aaron.

In Houston an equally talented and professional team of doctors and nurses handled Gabby’s care. Her neurosurgeon, Dr. Dong Kim, became a great friend, advocate, and cheerleader for Gabby. He left no detail overlooked and, on May 18, 2011, performed what we expect to be her final neurosurgery with the assistance of Dr. Brian Oh. We thank them for their professionalism, optimism, and dedication to their patient. We also want to thank Dr. Imo Aisiku, who managed Gabby’s care while she was in the ICU at Memorial Hermann hospital and frequently checked on her at TIRR. Doctors Gerard Francisco and Jacob Joseph saw Gabby every single day and managed her rehabilitation through the many months at TIRR Memorial Hermann. They did an outstanding job and were instrumental in her speedy recovery. They continue to follow her closely today and we thank them for that. As in Tucson, Gabby’s nurses at TIRR were very, very special people. We appreciate all they did for her around the clock. Gabby immediately connected with her nurses Adrian Baines, Deanna Bennett, Darlene Clayton, Vivian Lim, Cynthia Madriz, Pam Martin, Aubrey Murray, Kristy Poteet, and Marcia Turner. We are forever grateful for what they did and continue to do for her, especially Kristy Poteet and Vivian Lim, who remained committed to Gabby’s recovery after she left TIRR. We also want to thank nurses Lesia Coco, Theresa Gambrell, Lita Harris, Kay Keyes, and Leslie Lacy. Speech pathologists Angie Glenn and Kelley Warren spent hundreds of hours working with Gabby to retrieve her language skills and her ability to speak and to enable her to enter the chamber of the U.S. House of Representatives and communicate with her colleagues. Gabby has much more work to do, but they truly showed her the way. Gabby’s physical therapists Lisa Hartmann, Dawn Phillips, and Nova Sbrusch, with the help of Willie Wilmore, worked so hard to get her up and moving again. Gabby’s music therapist, Meagan Morrow, kept Gabby’s brain lighting up with her voice, music, positive attitude, and great smile. We thank these

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