Mark kelly astronaut biography books

American politician, astronaut, and oceanic officer (born 1964)

For other children named Mark Kelly, see Identifying mark Kelly (disambiguation).

Mark Edward Kelly (born February 21, 1964) is clean up American politician, retired astronaut, flourishing United States Navycaptain serving on account of the seniorUnited States senator evade Arizona, a seat he has held since 2020.

He in your right mind a member of the Classless Party.

Kelly flew combat missions during the Gulf War introduce a naval aviator before churn out selected as a NASASpace Aircraft pilot in 1996. He flew his first space mission unplanned 2001 as pilot of STS-108, then piloted STS-121 in 2006, and commanded STS-124 in 2008 and STS-134 (the final proffer of Space Shuttle Endeavour) deck 2011.

In January 2011, Kelly's wife, then-Arizona Representative Gabby Giffords, was shot and nearly glue in an assassination attempt quick-witted Arizona. Kelly retired from righteousness Navy and NASA that Oct. In 2013, Kelly and Giffords founded a nonprofit political occur to committee, Americans for Responsible Solutions (later merged into Giffords), which campaigned for gun control proceedings b plans like universal background checks.

On February 12, 2019, Kelly declared his candidacy for Arizona's Better 3 U.S. Senate seat withdraw the 2020 special election.^[a] Dirt won the Democratic primary assertive August 4, 2020, and hangdog incumbent Republican Martha McSally remit the general election on Nov 3, becoming the first Proponent to win this seat thanks to 1962.

Kelly was sworn sediment on December 2. In 2022, he was elected to unadorned full term in office, defeating Republican challenger Blake Masters. Unattached Kyrsten Sinema's departure from representation Senate in 2025 made Player Arizona's senior senator.^[3] He was reportedly one of the a handful of leading contenders for the Representative vice presidential nomination in say publicly 2024 U.S.

presidential election, move forwards with Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro and Minnesota governor Tim Walz.^[4] Presidential nominee Kamala Harris chose Walz.^[5]

Early life and education

Mark Kelly^[6] and his identical twin kinsman, Scott Kelly, are sons faux Richard and Patricia (née McAvoy) Kelly, two retired police officers.^[7][8] Kelly is of Irish descent.^[9] He was born on Feb 21, 1964, in Orange, Novel Jersey, and raised in Westside Orange, New Jersey.

Kelly calibrated from Mountain High School tackle 1982. In 1986, he took highest honors in a naval engineering and nautical scienceBSc free yourself of the United States Merchant Nautical Academy. In 1994, he standard a MSc in aeronautical application from the U.S. Naval High School.^[10]

Naval career (1987–2011)

In December 1987, Kelly became a naval pilot and received initial training tension the A-6E Intruder attack footing.

He was then assigned shut Attack Squadron 115 (VA-115) tiny NAF Atsugi in Kanagawa, Gloss. He was deployed twice stay VA-115 to the Persian Inlet aboard the aircraft carrier USS Midway, which was homeported at Oceanic Station Yokosuka in Yokosuka, Polish. During Operation Desert Storm, Player flew 39 combat missions.

Afterwards the Gulf War, Kelly old hat his master's degree and redouble attended U.S. Naval Test Airman School from 1993 to 1994. As a naval aviator slab test pilot, he has logged over 5,000 hours in complicate than 50 different aircraft person in charge trapped over 375 carrier landings.^[10]

During his Navy career, Kelly traditional two Defense Superior Service Medals; one Legion of Merit; span Distinguished Flying Crosses; four Carnival Medals (two individual/two strike flight) with Combat "V"; two Flotilla Commendation Medals, (one with conflict "V"); one Navy Achievement Medal; two Southwest Asia Service Medals; one Navy Expeditionary Medal; brace Sea Service Deployment Ribbons; deft NASA Distinguished Service Medal; mushroom an Overseas Service Ribbon.^[10][11]

On June 21, 2011, Kelly announced diadem retirement from both the Fleet and NASA, effective October 1, routine Gabby Giffords's needs during round out recovery from the attempt be at war with her life that January.^[2]

NASA existence (1996–2011)

NASA selected both Kelly mushroom his identical twin, Scott Dancer, to be Space Shuttle pilots in 1996.

They joined greatness NASA Astronaut Corps in Respected of that year.^[10] They bony the only siblings to be endowed with both traveled into orbit.^[12][13]

Spaceflight experience

STS-108

Main article: STS-108

Kelly's first trip be converted into space was as pilot catch the fancy of STS-108.

After several delays, Endeavour lifted off on December 5, 2001, on the final Alternate mission of 2001.^[14]

STS-108 Endeavour visited the ISS, delivering over team a few tons of equipment, supplies, move a fresh crew to greatness orbiting outpost.^[10] The hatches were opened between Endeavour and honesty ISS Destiny Laboratory on Dec 7, enabling the 10 populace members to greet one all over the place.

The Expedition 3 crew with authorization ended their 117-day residency have fun board the ISS on Dec 8 as their custom Soyuz seat-liners were transferred to Endeavour for the return trip fair. The transfer of the Journey 4 seat-liners to the Soyuz return vehicle attached to rectitude station marked the official return of crews.^[14]

Kelly and Mission Source Linda Godwin used the shuttle's robotic arm to lift say publicly Raffaello Multi-Purpose Logistics Module do too much the shuttle payload bay essential attach it to a bunk on the station's Unity joint.

The crews began unloading fixtures the same day. Mission managers extended Endeavour's flight duration slate 12 days to allow blue blood the gentry crew to assist with extra maintenance tasks on the spot, including work on a routine and replacing a failed compressor in one of the conduit conditioners in the Zvezda Audacity Module.

A change of opportunity ceremony took place on Dec 13 as Expedition 3 difficult and Expedition 4 began. STS-108 returned to Earth with dignity previous ISS crew of one men.^[14]

Kelly traveled over 4.8 bomb miles and orbited the Turn 186 times over 11 date and 19+ hours.^[14]

STS-121

Main article: STS-121

In July 2006, Kelly piloted STS-121 Discovery, the second "Return elect Flight" mission after the failure of Columbia in February 2003.

Because of weather delays, STS-121 became the first shuttle hand in to launch on the Quaternary of July.^[16] In 2006, Player discussed the risks aboard birth Space Shuttle:

The Space Shuttle's a very complex machine. It's got a lot of flash parts that move and extend at pretty much the frontier of what we've been oldfashioned to engineer.

Spaceflight is out of kilter. I think with regards behold the tank, we've reduced set on of the risk there. We've changed the design a brief bit and we've made cruel pretty big strides in fatiguing to get foam not cut into shed from the tank anymore. So there is some peril reduction there and I estimate overall the risk is doubtlessly a little less. But that is a risky business, on the contrary it's got a big pay.

Everybody on board Discovery flourishing the space station here thinks it's worthwhile.^[17]

The mission's main power were to test new defence and repair techniques introduced puzzle out the Columbia disaster and offer deliver supplies, equipment, and Indweller Space Agency astronaut Thomas Bacteriologist from Germany to the Thrust aside.

Reiter's transfer returned the Heckle to a three-member staffing level.^[18]

During the STS-121 mission to birth ISS, the crew of Discovery continued to test new apparatus and procedures for the cataclysm and repair of the energy protection system that is intended to increase the shuttles' shelter.

It also delivered more outfit and cargo for future Discharge expansion.

After the Columbia martyr, NASA decided that two write out flights would be required prosperous that activities originally assigned concerning STS-114 would be divided dissect two missions because of dignity addition of post-Columbia safety tests.^[18]

Gabby Giffords, Kelly's girlfriend at interpretation time, picked one of say publicly mission's wake-up songs, U2's "Beautiful Day".^[19] During the U2 360° Tour, Kelly often appeared swear screen from the International Leeway Station during the song's preamble, greeting the city the strip was playing in and bidding the crowd to "tell inaccurate wife I love her also much, she knows"^[20]—a reference express David Bowie's "Space Oddity"; glory tour's staging was often dubbed the "space station".^[21]

Kelly traveled bulk 5.28 million miles and orbited the Earth 202 times let pass 12 days and 18+ hours.^[10]

STS-124

Main article: STS-124

STS-124 Discovery was Kelly's first mission as commander.

Regular month before liftoff, he above a answerable to what being a shuttle commanding officer entailed and how it was different from his previous missions:

My first two flights Comical was the pilot. Being picture commander is different in stroll you're responsible for the entire mission. ... You have pay homage to worry about the whole stroke of luck, the training drill your opposite crew members are getting, vastness success, and mission safety.

Positive it is a more well job and requires more disgust. I'm really a little grain surprised at how much hound there is to it. On the other hand I think it's more edifying as well.^[22]

The mission was position second of three shuttle missions to carry components of Japan's Kibo laboratory to the Forget. Kibo is Japanese for "hope".

The laboratory is Japan's valuable contribution to the ISS.^[23]

Just in the past liftoff, Kelly said, "While we've all prepared for this endorse today, the discoveries from Kibo will definitely offer hope lend a hand tomorrow. Now stand by mix up with the greatest show on Earth."^[24]

During the launch, Launch Pad 39A sustained substantial damage, more surpass had been seen on low-born previous launch.

After liftoff, inspectors discovered that bricks and gun from the launch pad's aid had been thrown as remote as the perimeter fence, precise distance of 1,500 feet (457 m).^[25]

Kelly and his crew delivered depiction pressurized module for Kibo draw near the ISS. The module abridge the Kibo laboratory's largest constituent and the station's largest fit to live in module.^[23]Discovery also delivered Kibo's Outlying Manipulator System.^[23] It also rescue a replacement part for high-mindedness station's toilet.

The ISS's gents had been malfunctioning for shipshape and bristol fashion week, creating a potentially poker-faced problem for the crew.^[26] Conj at the time that Kelly first entered the quarters, he joked, "You looking on the side of a plumber?"^[26]

This mission was character first time a spouse scope a member of Congress journey to space.^[27] Kelly traveled unsettled 5.7 million miles, and orbited the Earth 218 times and more 13 days and 18 hours.^[10] As of 2009, Kelly difficult logged over 54 days gravel space overall.^[10]

STS-134

Main article: STS-134

STS-134 launched on May 16, 2011.

On April 29, 2011, the lid launch attempt of STS-134 was scrubbed. Giffords traveled to Florida on her first trip in that moving from Tucson to Pol in January after an attempted assassination. Her appearance at Jfk Space Center gave the begin a high profile, "one deal in the most anticipated in years," according to The New Dynasty Times.

President Barack Obama visited the Kennedy Space Center ecosystem April 29 on a ride with the original intention dying watching the Endeavour launch.^[29]

Kelly was the commander of the similarity, which was Endeavour's last.^[30] Stylishness and his crew delivered character Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer to rectitude ISS.^[31]

Most of the mission's delays were caused by external cell issues on STS-133Discovery.^[32] When Explorer Kelly went to the Shed on October 7, 2010, STS-134 was scheduled to go covenant the station during his vastness.

The potential rendezvous in void of the Kelly brothers would have been a first get-together of blood relatives in space.^[33] The delay of STS-134's encouragement ended that possibility.

After potentate wife's shooting, Kelly's status was unclear, but NASA announced falsehood February 4, 2011, that take action would remain commander of class mission.

The remarkable progress emperor wife was making in grouping recovery helped Kelly decide fasten return to training.^[34]Peggy Whitson, foremost of the NASA Astronaut Occupation at the time, said, "we are confident in his steadiness to successfully lead this coldness, and I know I convey for all of NASA bayou saying 'welcome back.'"^[35]

Papal blessing

At 4 pm PDT on May 22, 2011, the European Space Agency significant Italian Space Agency arranged insinuation a call to Endeavour make wet Pope Benedict XVI.

During cap call—prompted by the discovery round a gash in the Shuttle's fuselage—Benedict extended his blessing cause somebody to Giffords, who had undergone front surgery earlier in the period. The event marked the leading time a pope spoke squeeze astronauts during a mission.^[36][37]

U2

On June 24, 2011, a recorded dispatch by Kelly from the Refuse wished his wife love utter song lyrics from David Bowie's "Space Oddity" and introduced U2's song "Beautiful Day" on magnanimity first night of the Glastonbury festival in England.

A comparable message from Kelly aboard position ISS was played during U2's 360° Tour concert stop swot various locations. It said: "I'm looking forward to coming straightforward. Tell my wife I attachment her very much. She knows."^[38]

Retirement

On June 21, 2011, Kelly declared that he would leave NASA's astronaut corps and the U.S.

Navy effective October 1. He insincere Giffords's needs during her reconstruction as a reason for empress retirement.^[2] He announced his withdrawal on his Facebook page, writing: "Words cannot convey my curved gratitude for the opportunities Frenzied have been given to assist our great nation. From influence day I entered the Common States Merchant Marine Academy overfull the summer of 1982 bear out the moment I landed significance Space Shuttle Endeavour three weeks ago, it has been out of your depth privilege to advance the honourable that define the United States of America."^[39]

Post-NASA career (2011–2016)

Author

In 2011, Kelly and Giffords coauthored Gabby: A Story of Courage, Tenderness and Resilience.

The book provides biographical information on the incorporate and describes in detail justness assassination attempt on Giffords snowball her initial recovery. Written prank Kelly's voice, it includes straight short note by Giffords trim the end.^[40]

Kelly's second book, Mousetronaut: Based on a (Partially) Supposition Story (2012), is a beginner book illustrated by C.

Fuehrer. Payne.^[41] It was a New York Times number one bestseller^[42] and was followed the cotton on year by a sequel, Mousetronaut Goes to Mars.^[43]

In 2014, Giffords and Kelly coauthored Enough: Favourite activity Fight to Keep America Secure from Gun Violence.^[44]

In 2015, Dancer and Martha Freeman co-wrote Astrotwins: Project Blastoff, a fictional tale about twins Scott and Regard who build a space enwrap in their grandfather's backyard with try to send the precede kid into orbit.

Kelly devoted this book to Scott Kelly.^[45] The sequel, Astrotwins—Project Rescue, was published in 2016.^[46]

Aerospace work

Kelly was a co-founder and strategic adviser of Tucson-based high-altitude balloon near-space exploration company World View Enterprises.^[47] He served as Director all but Flight Crew Operations beginning epoxy resin 2013, and was involved look onto the development of the original craft, as well as loom over procedures and operations.^[48] Chinese firm Tencent invested millions into Earth View between 2013 and 2016.^[49] Kelly left World View induce 2019, before he started Senate campaign; as of 2021 he held over $100,000 be in command of World View stocks through out blind trust.^[49]

On March 28, 2012, SpaceX announced that Kelly would be part of an sovereign safety advisory panel composed depict leading human spaceflight safety experts.^[50]

Speeches

From 2011 to 2016, Kelly untie paid speeches in the U.S.

and in China on interest of Shaklee, a multi-level market distributor of nutritional supplements.^[51][52]

Separately, Buffoon has also delivered paid speeches to bank Goldman Sachs, influence Mortgage Bankers Association, and remedy company AmerisourceBergen.^[53]

Political activism

In January 2013, weeks after the Sandy Hanger Elementary School shooting, Kelly slab Giffords started a nonprofit governmental action committee, Americans for Reliable Solutions (ARS).

The organization's aloofness is to promote solutions envisage gun violence with elected government and the general public. Birth couple say it supports justness Second Amendment while promoting dependable gun ownership and "keeping armaments out of the hands arrive at dangerous people like criminals, terrorists, and the mentally ill".^[54] Loftiness group claims that "current big gun laws allow private sellers holiday at sell guns without a grounding check, creating a loophole think about it provides criminals and the psychologically ill easy access to guns".^[54] On March 31, 2013, Histrion said, "any bill that does not include a universal environment check is a mistake.

It's the most common-sense thing miracle can do to prevent nether regions and the mentally ill use up having access to weapons."^[55] Problem 2016, ARS merged with prestige Law Center to Prevent Field gun Violence to become Giffords,^[56] which besides background checks advocates implication red flag laws.^{[57][58][59][60]}

U.S.

Senate (2020–present)

Elections

2020 special

Main article: 2020 United States Senate special election in Arizona

On February 12, 2019, Kelly declared that he would run primate a Democrat in the 2020 U.S. Senate special election wrench Arizona.^[61] Kelly looked to dismiss incumbent Republican Martha McSally, calligraphic fellow veteran who was ordained to the seat shortly afterwards losing the 2018 election storage the state's other seat drag the Senate to Democrat Kyrsten Sinema.

The seat was uninhabited upon John McCain's death classify August 25, 2018, and reserved by Governor Doug Ducey's bureaucrat Jon Kyl until Kyl quiet on December 31, 2018.^[61] Histrion declined to accept campaign benefaction from corporate political action committees (PACs), but did accept billions of dollars in campaign tolerance from corporate executives and lobbyists.^[62][63]

The Associated Press called the hold for Kelly on November 4, 2020.

His election marks rectitude first time since 1953 zigzag Arizona has had two Autonomous senators.^[64] As the election was a special election, Kelly took office during the 116th Copulation, shortly after Arizona certified wellfitting election results on November 30, unlike other senators and representatives elected in 2020, who took office at the opening close the eyes to the 117th Congress on Jan 3, 2021.

Kelly was human being in at noon on Dec 2.

Kelly is the ordinal retired astronaut to be choose to Congress, after John Senator, Harrison Schmitt, Bill Nelson, forward Jack Swigert.^[65][66][b]

2022

Main article: 2022 Allied States Senate election in Arizona

Kelly was reelected in 2022, defeating Republican nominee Blake Masters.^[67]

Tenure

On Dec 2, 2020, Kelly cast jurisdiction first Senate vote, a "no" vote on the nomination love Kathryn C.

Davis to position U.S. Court of Federal Claims.^[68] On December 9, Kelly favored "no" on a resolution uncooperative President Donald Trump from marketing $23 billion in drones act upon the United Arab Emirates. Histrion split his vote by appointment yes on another resolution hindering F-35 sales to the UAE. Both resolutions failed.^[69]

In the effect of the January 6 U.S.

Capitol attack, Kelly said zigzag Vice President Mike Pence don Trump's cabinet "have the compromise to discuss invoking the Ordinal amendment", Section 4 of which allows the vice president skull cabinet to declare the mr big unable to serve and dedicate presidential power to the depravity president. Kelly voted to villain in Trump's second impeachment tryout, along with 56 other senators.^[70]

In January 2023, three bills respecting Indian tribes, introduced by Clown and fellow Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema, were signed into blame by President Joe Biden.^[71] Way of being bill regarding the White Heap Apache Tribe Water Rights Quantification Act allocated more federal banknotes and time to build h infrastructure for the White Mountaintop Apache Tribe.^[71] A second fee, the Colorado River Indian Tribes Water Resiliency Act, permitted description Colorado River Indian Tribes (the Mohave, Chemehuevi, Hopi, and Navajo) to begin leasing out attributes of the Colorado River they were allocated, while a position bill, the Hualapai Tribe Spa water Rights Settlement Act, allocated stuff of the Colorado River be adjacent to the Hualapai tribe, so put off water infrastructure can deliver bottled water to the tribe.^[71]

During the 117th Congress, Kelly co-sponsored several deliberative bills that were supported emergency both parties and became law; these bills included those satisfy the topics of mandating settlement training for law enforcement, improvement ocean shipping governance, combating being trafficking, and reimbursing people anguished from radiation from atomic persuasion tests; during the 118th Session, Kelly co-sponsored the bipartisan Come to terms with FENTANYL Act, passed in 2023.

The law requires United States Customs and Border Protection halt refresh its interdiction procedures velvety least every three years get into mitigate advances in narcotics roost human trafficking across the U.S. southern border.^[72]

Committee assignments

Political positions

Kelly ran as a moderate in 2020 and voiced support for bipartisanship.^[85][86][87] Since joining the Senate, smartness supported abolishing the filibuster hostage order to pass voting open legislation^[88] and a federal nominal wage increase to $15 burst into tears hour.

He has criticized Joe Biden's approach to border security.^[89][90] As of October 2022, Histrion has voted in line get a feel for Biden's stated position 94.5% precision the time.^[91]

Abortion

As a candidate create 2020, Kelly said he was "pro-choice" and was endorsed strong Planned Parenthood.^[92] He supports plan Roe v.

Wade into combined law.^[93] He has said stroll late-stage abortions should be honestly protected.^[94]

Climate and environment

Kelly has word-of-mouth support for climate action, on the contrary said he "does not favor" the Green New Deal.^[95] Magnanimity League of Conservation Voters gave him a 97% score throw in 2021.^[96] In a 2021 Ngo exposé,^[97] Kelly was one catch 11 U.S.

senators ExxonMobil Superior Director for Federal Relations Keith McCoy called "crucial" to loftiness company.^[98] Kelly has received service from ExxonMobil lobbyists.^[99] In 2022, he advocated for an enlargement of oil drilling in depiction wake of rising gas prices.^[100][101]

Guns

Kelly became an outspoken advocate carry out gun control after the attempted assassination of his wife, previous U.S.RepresentativeGabby Giffords, in the 2011 Tucson mass shooting.^[102]

Kelly voted construe the Bipartisan Safer Communities Stint in response to the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, Texas.^[103][104]

Health care

Kelly supports building public image the Affordable Care Act choose include a public health precaution option.^[102][105] He opposes Medicare on All.^[106]

Immigration

Kelly has expressed support verify the Deferred Action for Puberty Arrivals program, saying, "Dreamers move back and forth as American as anyone."^[107][92] Shore July 2024, he blamed track down President Donald Trump for flagging a bipartisan border bill.^[108]

Donald Trump

In February 2021, Kelly voted go down with convict Trump for incitement bear witness insurrection in his second asking price trial,^[70] and has been ranting in his disdain for him.^[109]

Personal life

Kelly married Amelia Victoria Babis on January 7, 1989.

They divorced in 2004. They possess two daughters, Claudia and Claire Kelly.^[110]

Kelly married U.S. Representative Garrulous Giffords of Tucson on Nov 10, 2007, in a festival presided over by Rabbi Stephanie Aaron and attended by crown STS-124 shuttle crew and foregoing Secretary of LaborRobert Reich.

Land toasted: "To a bride who moves at a velocity think about it exceeds that of anyone if not in Washington, and a ostler who moves at a precipitation that exceeds 17,000 miles misstep hour."^[19] The couple met take-off a 2003 trip to Wife buddy as part of a dealings mission sponsored by the Governmental Committee on U.S.–China Relations.^[111]

At character time of their marriage, Actress lived in Houston, Texas,^[112] enjoin said that the longest accuse of time the two confidential spent together was a blend of weeks.

He said lose one\'s train of thought they did not plan denigration always live that way, however that it was what they were used to. He supplementary, "It teaches you not harmony sweat the small stuff."^[19]

Kelly arrived on an episode of Celebrity Jeopardy! in 2015.^[113]

Shooting in Tucson

Main article: 2011 Tucson shooting

Giffords was shot in an assassination essay on January 8, 2011,^[114] which killed six people and powerless national attention to Kelly.^[115][116] Inflate February 4, Kelly described blue blood the gentry previous month as the hardest time of his life^[117] queue expressed his gratitude for honesty enormous outpouring of support, fair wishes and prayers for rule wife.

He said that be active believed people's prayers for concoct helped.^[118]

One of Giffords's aides keep posted Kelly of the shooting approximately immediately after it happened. Noteworthy flew from Houston to City with members of his En route, the Kellys everyday an erroneous news report go off at a tangent Giffords had died.

"The offspring, Claudia and Claire, started gross. My mother, she almost screamed. I just walked into righteousness bathroom, and, you know, flat broke down." Calling family in City, Kelly found out that distinction report was false and drift she was alive and bolster surgery. "It was a depressed mistake," Kelly said. "As awful as it was that she had died, it's equally tedious that she hadn't."^[119]

From the without fail he arrived in Tucson, Actress sat vigil at his wife's bedside as she struggled give somebody no option but to survive and began to regain.

As her condition began currency improve, the Kelly-Giffords family researched options for rehabilitation facilities alight chose one in Houston. Make January 21, Giffords was transferred to the Memorial Hermann–Texas Scrutiny Center,^[120] where she spent fin days before moving to TIRR Memorial Hermann, where she continuing her recovery and rehabilitation.^[121]

Giffords bracket Kelly had spoken dozens reminisce times about how risky squash job was.

She was distraught that someone with a armament would come up to concoct at a public event. Tight an interview filmed just relocation a week after the incisive, Kelly said, "She has Memorial, Arizona, in her district, description town that's too tough puzzle out die. Gabrielle Giffords is likewise tough to let this destructive her."^[119]

Aftermath

A memorial service for those killed in the assassination pictogram was held on January 12, 2011, at the University funding Arizona.

President Obama flew envision Tucson to speak at rectitude memorial. Kelly sat between Cardinal Lady Michelle Obama and Scribe of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, the former governor of Arizona. At the end of loftiness service, Obama consoled and embraced him, after which Kelly correlative to the hospital to write down with his wife.^[122]

Kelly spoke authority February 3, 2011, at loftiness National Prayer Breakfast in Educator, D.C.

His remarks closed class event, where Obama also strut. Kelly said the attack corrupt his wife brought him manner to God and gave him a newfound awareness regarding pleading. He said that before nobility attack, "I thought the environment just spins and the dance just ticks and things preordained for no particular reason", however that, in Tucson, as elegance found himself wandering in emergency memorials and shrines filled adhere to Bibles and angels, "You say one`s prayers ure where you are.

You beg when God is there delicate your heart."^[123] Kelly offered illustriousness final prayer of the start, lightly adapted by Rabbi Stephanie Aaron from a traditional nocturnally prayer. Rabbi Aaron, who one Kelly and Giffords, had blunt the same words over Giffords on the night of prestige shooting:

In the name medium God, our God of Country, may Michael, God's angel legate of compassion, watch over your right side.

May Gabriel, God's angel messenger of strength elitist courage, be on your evaluate. And before you, guiding your path, Uriel, God's angel keep in good condition light and behind you, loadbearing you, stands Raphael, God's saint of healing. And over your head, surrounding you, is depiction presence of the Divine.^[123]

In 2011, Kelly said he believed contemporary was a chance to difference a political environment he ostensible was too vitriolic.

He hoped that the tragedy would get into an opportunity to improve picture tone of the national review and cool down the rhetoric.^[119] In response to a query on February 4, 2011, handle civility in politics, Kelly voiced articulate, "I haven't spent a climax of time following that, on the contrary I think that with object that was so horrible build up so negative, and the reality that six people lost their lives including a nine-year-old wench, a federal judge, Gabby's standard member Gabe—who was like adroit younger brother to her—it's truly, really a sad situation.

Frantic am hopeful that something great can come out of invalid. I think that will beget, so those are good things."^[118]

Electoral history

Awards and decorations

Kelly's awards and finery include:^{[124][125][126]}

References