Intern who saved Giffords’ life sought her out because she’s pro-Israel

By Gary Rotto

Gary Rotto

SAN DIEGO — You know how we hear about social media surveys in Twitter or Facebook?  How the media measures “what’s trending now” about a person or a political event?  Well, Daniel Hernandez was “trending now” amongst my Facebook Friends immediately after the regional AIPAC Dinner in San Diego.

The name probably sounds familiar.  Hernandez is the person who saved Congresswoman Gabrielle Gifford’s life.  Literally.  He was in only his fifth day serving as an intern for the Congresswoman, checking people in at a “Congress on Your Corner” event.   It’s an event where a member of Congress sets up a card table in from of a store for a few hours and talks with constituents about their issues – large and small.  But as we know, an assailant started firing and eighteen people were shot including the congresswoman.  And Daniel ran towards the gunshots.  I’ve been a staff person for several elected officials and I would like to think that I am loyal and quick on my feet in any situation.  But running towards where gunshots are heard?  Wow.   

As the Arizona Republic reported at the time, Daniel found people lying on the ground and went from person to person, checking for pulses and found his boss wounded.  He applied pressure to the gunshot wound until the paramedics arrived.  The measures he took had stabilized Congresswoman Gifford.

Daniel Hernandez was a special surprise guest at the San Diego AIPAC dinner, which occurred about a week before Gifford announced her resignation to focus on her recovery.   I had the opportunity to talk with him immediately after the event.  He’s more than modest.  And he actually preferred to talk about his passion for Israel and the importance of the Israel –US relationship.

 It’s not because he worked for Gabby Giffords that he has these deeps feelings for Israel  but rather  he wanted to work for her because she had  deep feelings for Israel.  He worked as a volunteer on her first congressional campaign and then as an intern in her congressional office.  His pro-Israel feelings and opinions  developed while working with a group called the “Yentas”. 

The Yentas led the volunteer effort in Southern Arizona during the 2008 Presidential Primary.  As California and New York held their primaries on Super Tuesday, the same day as the Arizona primary, all the attention and funds and oxygen so to speak were sucked up by those two mega-states.  So Arizona was left to volunteers – especially the group of mature Jewish women who were the self proclaimed Yentas.  And they took a teenage Hispanic boy under their wings – someone who wanted to talk about issues and they elected good people to public office. 

When I had heard of the shooting in Tuscon, I remember wondering if I or any of my friends had been so exposed – and knew that as a staffer at any level, we were.  And those who are staffers still are.  And I thought that  but for the grace of G-d, I never had to test my reactions like those in Tuscon did. 

Hernandez is maybe a little embarrassed by all the acclaim.   But he is proud to serve, now as a member of the Tuscon area school board.  And proud to talk about being pro-Israel. 

*
Rotto is a freelance writer based in San Diego.  He may be contacted at gary.rotto@sdjewishworld.com