by Dot Cannon
“We are living challenging times. But we are up for the challenge,” said former Congresswoman and gun safety activist Gabby Giffords.
Gabby was speaking from the steps of Pasadena’s Tournament House on Thursday morning, October 13th, where she’d just been announced as the 2023 Rose Parade® Grand Marshal.
With an explosion of multicolored rose petals and the strains of Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down”, the stage curtains had parted to reveal the former Congresswoman, who smiled, waved and danced to the music.
Building the suspense
As always, the identity of the new Grand Marshal had been kept secret until the announcement.
Watching virtually, we had listened for musical clues on Tournament of Roses®’ YouTube channel but heard none. Other than a well-crafted rendition of “The Girl From Ipanema”, playing just prior to 2023 Tournament of Roses® Association President and Chairman of the Board Amy Wainscott’s appearance, (Perhaps a hint that the Grand Marshal would be female?)
Then, taking the stage, President Wainscott spoke of the theme for the 2023 Rose Parade®, scheduled for Monday, January 2, 2023.
“When my husband Tim and I selected this year’s theme of ‘Turning the Corner’, we wanted to choose a theme that would not only resonate on a grand scale, but would also apply to an individual’s personal journey,” she said.
President Wainscott referenced the parade route, in which parade participants literally “turn the corner” from Orange Grove to Colorado Boulevard at the start of each Rose Parade®.
“Our hope is that each one of us can reflect on how many corners we face and turn in our own lives,” she said. “And it isn’t only the beginning of a New Year that brings us these life moments…
“Every single day, there are opportunities to overcome an obstacle, to reach a longtime goal, to put a past difference behind us.
“A special brand of bravery”
…”Almost all of us have the luxury to face our challenges in private,” President Wainscott continued. “And many of us also have the freedom to overcome or heal on our own timeline.
“But when one has no choice but to be both vulnerable and strong in public, with the whole nation watching that calls for a special brand of bravery that even the strongest among us couldn’t possibly have the courage to summon.
“And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why our selection for the 2023 Grand Marshal is a perfect example, of how to valiantly turn the corner.”
A luminary in action
Just before Gabby took the stage, President Wainscott shared her biography with the audience.
Among the facts she listed: a former Scout, the 2023 Grand Marshal had earned a Masters degree at Cornell University. She had served as CEO of a family business, and dedicated her life to public service, becoming the youngest woman elected to the Arizona State Senate before going on the U.S. House of Representatives in 2006.
“She was re-elected to a second term…but her tenure was cut tragically short,” President Wainscott continued.
“What followed was an arduous journey that included physical, occupational and speech therapy.
“In the years since she has become an advocate for gun violence prevention and founded a nonprofit dedicated to fighting gun violence.
“On July 7, 2022, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. And she also has the distinct honor of having a U.S. Navy combat ship named after her.
“…It is my distinct honor to present to you our Grand Marshal for the 2023 Tournament of Roses®: Gabby Giffords.”
Cheers and applause ensued.
Resilience and inspiration
President Wainscott then conducted a brief interview with the new Grand Marshal.
“Gabby, can you tell us a little bit about how you ‘turned the corner’ when your life changed?” she asked.
“Our lives can change so quickly,” Gabby replied. “Mine did when I was shot.”
(The tragedy to which President Wainscott had referred, occurred on January 8th, 2011. During a constituent event in Tucson, Gabby was shot in the head by a gunman, who killed six people and injured 12 others. Gabby stepped down from Congress in January 2012 to focus on her recovery, working diligently to regain her ability to speak and walk. Following the Sandy Hook tragedy, in 2013 Gabby co-founded the advocacy and research organization today known as Giffords. Over the past several years, Giffords has been a leader in the national gun safety movement.)
“But I never gave up hope,” she continued. “I chose to make a new start. To move ahead, to not look back. I’m re-learning so many things: how to walk, how to talk. And I’m fighting to make the country safer.
“It can be so difficult,” Gabby continued as the applause quieted. “Losses hurt. Setbacks are hard. But I tell myself, move ahead. I’m finding joy in small things: (riding) my bike, playing the French horn, going to the gym, laughing with friends. The small things add up.
“…My own recovery has taken years. Many, many people have helped me along the way and I learned so much. I learned when people care for each other and work together, progress is possible. For the world, (it’s) possible. But change doesn’t happen overnight, and we can’t do it alone.
“Join me. Let’s move ahead together.”