Did you see Gabby Giffords lead the Pledge of Allegiance? By the grace of God, the fast thinking of those around her and incredibly brilliant surgeons she’s alive and leading the Democratic National Convention in the Pledge of Allegiance.

By the grace of God, the love of my family and friends, and several brilliant and talented doctors I am alive and well and taking Journalism 1 at my local community college 2 years after brain surgery.

Gabby Giffords’s recovery is personal to me. She got shot while I was in the early stages of recovering from my own brain surgery. I needed for her to get better and prosper so that I could believe in my own recovery. Blessedly, she and I both recovered.

We both have good medical insurance and are surrounded by loving and supportive families. Now I’m going to get political for a moment here. If you think that healthcare and gun control aren’t important you just don’t understand.

There but for the grace of God we all go. Life changes in a heartbeat. Remember that.