Beaumont Enterprise
September 23, 2011
AMANDA LEE MYERS, Associated Press
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Although Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and one of her staff members who survived the Tucson mass shooting were the ones being recognized at an awards ceremony Friday, the talk of the day was more about the staff member who didn’t make it, 30-year-old Gabe Zimmerman.
The National Conference on Citizenship awarded Giffords with its Franklin Award for federal service at a ceremony at Arizona State University in Tempe. Giffords was not at the ceremony and was continuing therapy in Houston.
Ron Barber, Giffords’ district director who survived the shooting, received a civic engagement award from the Center for the Future of Arizona, and made it to the ceremony with several other staff members. The inaugural award is named for Zimmerman, who was one of six killed in the shooting.
Giffords’ husband, astronaut Mark Kelly, said in a videotaped statement that public servants are far too often overlooked, underappreciated and "used as punching bags," and that they should get more credit for the work they do.
He pointed to Zimmerman in particular, saying that he was the second person Giffords hired to be on her congressional staff in 2007 and that she always thought of him as a little brother.
Kelly said Zimmerman was kind, compassionate, fiercely loyal to Giffords and loved helping people as her community outreach director.
Zimmerman was known affectionately among the staff as Giffords’ "constituent whisperer," for never losing patience with those who lost their tempers.
Emily Nottingham, Zimmerman’s mother, was at the ceremony with her husband and told The Associated Press that if her son were alive, he would at first be embarrassed that an award was named for him, but then proud that public servants were being recognized.
"It’s easy to vilify or belittle public servants, and I think that’s it’s one of those things that contributes to a society that can be more civil," she said.
As for how Nottingham and her family are coping with Zimmerman’s death, now almost nine months ago, she said "it changes your life forever, but the community has been very responsive and supportive."
Kelly and Giffords’ staff also spoke about how the congresswoman is doing, with Barber praising her for being able to walk on her own, gaining back every ounce of curiosity she had before the shooting and making constant progress.
Elaine Richardson, Giffords’ longtime friend and bridesmaid and a former state senator, accepted the congresswoman’s award for her at the ceremony.
She told AP afterward that she misses talking to Giffords on a daily basis like she used to and is planning to see her "shortly," adding that Giffords needs "girlfriend time."
"If anybody can do something and get better, it’ll be Gabby," she said, noting that Giffords was never afraid of anything and used to Rollerblade to her house as a youngster as late as midnight. "What I’m looking forward to is her healing completely, and for me, her running for office is a back-burner issue."