NPR: Dad: Arizona Girl's Corneas Saved Vision Of 2 Kids

[MrSilverMaC]

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=132791145

http://abcnews.go.com/US/christina-taylor-greens-organs-donated-boston-child/story?id=12627835

TUCSON, Ariz. January 17, 2011, 06:43 pm ET

Donated corneas from the young girl killed in the Arizona mass shooting have saved the eyesight of two children, the girl's father told The Associated Press on Monday.

John Green said the Donor Network of Arizona told him and his wife about the successful transplants.

The organs of nine-year-old Christina-Taylor Green, the youngest victim of last week's shootings in Tucson, Ariz., have been donated to a Boston-area child, her father revealed to The Boston Globe.The Globe reports today that John Green told the newspaper that he received a phone call about the transplant, but does not know any further details about who received his little girl's organs, or at which hospital.

A spokesman for the New England Organ Bank told the Globe he is unable to comment on donations.

Green told the Globe that the news that his daughter's organs were able to save the life of another child "really lifted" his spirits, and he and her mother, Roxanna Green are proud of Christina, "who has done another amazing thing."

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Giffords improving

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/top/all/7385477.html

TUCSON, Ariz. — The husband of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords says his wife's condition has improved so much that she has been able to smile and give him a neck rub as he has kept a near-constant vigil at her hospital bedside.

The interactions with astronaut Mark Kelly are new signs of Giffords' impressive progress in recovering from a gunshot wound to the head at a political event nine days ago. Giffords still cannot speak, because of a tube in her throat that is helping her breathe.

"She's in the ICU. You know, gone through this traumatic injury. And she spent 10 minutes giving me a neck massage," Kelly explained in an interview with Diane Sawyer to air Tuesday on ABC. "It's so typical of her that no matter how bad the situation might be for her, you know, she's looking out for other people."

Such encounters indicate higher levels of functioning, implying that "she's recognizing him and interacting, perhaps in an old familiar way with him," said Dr. Michael Lemole.

[DjTj]

It's good to hear some good news. It sounds like it has brought some comfort to her parents and hopefully it does to others.

One of the most crushing stories I've seen recently is about the woman who brought the 9-year-old girl to the event:

When doctors removed Suzi's breathing tube hours later, she was hazy from the drugs. She grabbed Bill's hands and whispered, "Christina?"

Bill told her the truth, and Suzi fell silent. In the days that followed, she couldn't stop reliving the event, her husband said.

"She keeps talking about them holding hands, and then the realization she was on the ground and the bleeding was profuse," Bill said.

Bill and everyone around Suzi have told her she is not to blame for Christina's death. "In her clearest-headed state, she is quite understanding that this was the act of a madman, that blame does no good for anybody," he said. "Unfortunately, we're all human and we all have dark moments."

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-survivor-20110116,0,4733680.story?page=2

I can't imagine how hard that is to live with.

[MrSilverMaC]

It's good to hear some good news. It sounds like it has brought some comfort to her parents and hopefully it does to others.

One of the most crushing stories I've seen recently is about the woman who brought the 9-year-old girl to the event: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-survivor-20110116,0,4733680.story?page=2

I can't imagine how hard that is to live with.

Since the very first time I read about why the little girl was there, I have wondered about the neighbor and how it would affect her. One of the worst things that could happen is to have an act of kindness towards someone you care about turned into harm for them. The thoughts that must go through her mind and the mind of her parents has occupied me quite a bit whenever I think of the situation. I don't think I would have any words that felt adequate to speak to my wife if I were in his shoes.

I really hope that they can all forgive themselves for the guilt I suspect they feel and I hope that they realize that they didn't do anything wrong. What they were trying to do for the little girl was great. I still have a letter sent in response to a letter I wrote to one of AZ's senators when I was about her age. I thought it was the coolest thing that I had received a letter back, and would have been excited to meet the Senator in person. I can only imagine how happy she was to be told that her neighbor was going to take her to see an actual U.S congress person especially after being voted to the student council.

[DjTj]

In other "good" news about the attack, preliminary videos of the attack seem to show that the Federal Judge, John Roll, may have helped to save the life of Ron Barber, Giffords's district director:

The video, according to Richard Kastigar, the investigative and operational bureau chief of the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, also reveals that Judge John M. Roll appears to have died while helping to save the life of Ronald Barber, a Giffords employees. Mr. Barber, who was near Ms. Giffords when he was shot twice, has left the hospital.

Describing the video, Mr. Kastigar said the judge was “intentionally trying to help Mr. Barber,” adding, “It’s very clear to me the judge was thinking of his fellow human more than himself.”

The judge guides Mr. Barber to the ground, shields him with his body, and then tries to push himself and Mr. Barber away from the gunman, who was no more than three to four feet away as he fired, Mr. Kastigar said.

“He pushes Mr. Barber with his right hand and guides him with his left hand. The judge was on top of him and is covering up Mr. Barber, literally lying on top of him, and his back was exposed,” Mr. Kastigar said.

The judge was shot in the back.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/19/us/19giffords.html?_r=2&scp=1&sq=roll&st=cse