The husband of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords spent 20 minutes believing his wife was dead after she was shot in Tucson earlier this month, he has revealed.
Mark Kelly believed he had been widowed after seeing an incorrect news report until Congresswoman Giffords’ mother told him the politician had survived being shot in the head.
Six people were shot and 13, including Congresswoman Giffords, were injured when a gunman opened fire as the Democrat member of Congress held a meet-and-greet with constituents.
Jared Loughner, 22, was arrested shortly after the incident and is being held in federal custody charged as the lone gunman in the attack.
Speaking as his wife’s condition continued to improve, Mr Kelly told of the horrifying moment he saw a news broadcast that claimed Congresswoman Giffords had been killed.
After a procedure to remove her from a ventilator was completed successfully, Congresswoman Giffords’ condition has been upgraded from critical to serious.
Her NASA astronaut husband has been at her bedside constantly since the shooting, only leaving her to attend last Wednesday's memorial service with President Obama and the funeral for nine-year-old gun victim Christina Green the following day.
Doctors at the University Medical Centre in Tucson, Arizona, have been pleased with the speed of Congresswoman Giffords’ recovery but said she remains mostly uncommunicative since the shooting.
However, Mr Kelly says he is certain his wife recognises him and has demonstrated so with minute gestures.
‘If I hold her hand, she'll play with my wedding ring,’ he told ABC News in his first television interview since his wife was gravely wounded.
‘She'll move (the ring) up and down my finger. She'll take it off. ... She'll put it on her own finger. She'll move it to her thumb. And then she can put it back on my finger,’ he said.
Mr Kelly's full interview aired last night on a special edition of the prime-time programme "20/20." ABC News released excerpts in advance.
Portions also aired on ABC's Good Morning America, World News with Diane Sawyer and Nightline broadcasts.
Mr Kelly acknowledged that his wife still has a difficult road ahead of her but called her a ‘really, really tough woman’.