Openly gay, newly minted intern Daniel Hernandez is credited with saving the life (LezGetReal) of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords when she was shot Saturday in Tucson, Arizona.
Hernandez is a Junior at the University of Arizona and a member of the City of Tucson’s Commission on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Issues.
Follow the link for compelling video interview with Hernandez. I don't want to go on at length about this “gay” angle, but it is important to acknowledge him for his heroism and to remind us that all human beings are capable of great courage literally under fire.
This quiet story has popped up on all the major gay blogs, an example of the sad irony that a gay Latino man stepped forward in Arizona to literally stop the lifeblood of a community leader from flowing away. He held her hand. Her stayed by her side. He did everything an American is expected to do. In Arizona a state that assails his community on a regular basis.
From JoeMyGod courtesy of the Dallas Voice:
Hernandez, who confirmed that he is gay in an interview with Instant Tea on Sunday morning, is a member of the City of Tucson Commission on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Issues.
“She’s been a great ally to the LGBT community,” Hernandez said of Giffords during the brief interview across a bad connection.
According to the Arizona Republic, Hernandez was standing about 30 feet from Giffords during the “Congress on Your Corner” event outside a Safeway store near Tucson. When the gunshots began, Hernandez ran toward them and began checking the pulses of people who’d been hit. When Hernandez got to Giffords, he used his hand to apply pressure to the entry wound on her forehead. He pulled her into his lap and held her upright so she wouldn’t choke on her blood. Hernandez used his hand to apply pressure to the wound until someone brought clean smocks from the meat department of the grocery store.
He stayed with Giffords until paramedics arrived, then climbed into an ambulance with her. On the way to the hospital, he squeezed her hand and she squeezed back
On a related issue, I got a little note from Lt. Dan Choi asking for support to have Daniel Hernandez invited to the State of the Union address. If you think that's fitting, join the Facebook group here.
America is stronger because of men like Daniel Hernandez.
Editor's Note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified Hernandez as the one who was rescued, instead of Congresswoman Gifford. Our apologies for the error.
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