Daniel Hernandez Jr., a 20-year-old University of Arizona student who’d been working as an intern for Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords for only five days, is being credited with saving her life after she was shot on Saturday.
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. From the Republic:
When they arrived at the hospital, Hernandez was soaked in blood. His family brought him clean clothes because the FBI took his for evidence.
He waited at the hospital while she went into surgery. He needed to tell police what had happened. He overheard people walking by talking about how Giffords had died. He also heard this on NPR. Later, he learned she had lived.
“I was ecstatic,” he said. “She was one of the people I’ve looked up to. Knowing she was alive and still fighting was good news. She’s definitely a fighter, whether for her own life, or standing up for people in southern Arizona.”
The fact that Hernandez was nearby and able to react quickly probably saved Giffords’ life, said state Rep. Matt Heinz, D-Tucson, and a hospital physician. He talked to Hernandez at the hospital after the shooting.
Eight hours after the shooting, Hernandez stood with Giffords’ friends and staff and told them what had happened. The tall, strong 20-year-old said, “Of course you’re afraid, you just kind of have to do what you can.”
They hugged and thanked him. Later, he sat with his mom and sisters and told them about his friends and the staffers who had died that day.
“You just have to be calm and collected,” he said. “You do no good to anyone if you have a breakdown. … It was probably not the best idea to run toward the gunshots, but people needed help.”
Everyone needs a gay! Seriously, to Mr. Daniel Hernadez Jr. ….GREAT JOB! Thank you for your service.
What a wonderful person. I’m so glad there are people like him in this world.
Well there we have it! Congratulations! We have a winner for the news outlet willing to stoop to the sleaziest point in the reporting of this shooting.
I just want to point out how opportunistic and slimy you and your editors are for feeling it necessary to put “gay” into the headline. Who cares? This is just another person who stepped up and offered help when it was needed. The man is a hero.
I hope that you are happy with the several thousand extra clicks you get on this story for your reprehensible lack of news judgement. I’m sure your advertising team will be delighted to hear how many impressions the site got as a result.
I also hope you’re proud of yourselves for reinforcing the “us-vs-them” mentality when it comes to sexuality.
Way to take advantage of an already tragic act of violence by adding just a pinch of homophobic sensationalism.
THIS IS SUBJECT FOR A SERMON….. THIS IS A WONDERFUL
SHOWCASE OF HUMANITY. GOD BLESS YOU DANIEL
AWESOME…. THE SUBJECT OF A WONDERFUL SUNDAY
SERMON
The caliber of a human being certainly is in the forefront in a crisis. Blessings to that young man, whatever his orientation. His compassion, expertise and calm overshadows any categorization. He is to be commended.
Um, Edgewood, did you even look to see which publication you were reading before you went on your rant? This is “The Dallas Voice: The premier media source for LGBT Texas.” This story points out that Daniel is gay not because the writers or editors or homophobic, but because, in the current climate, it is important to point out LGBT Americans do heroic things just like straight Americans. I say thank you for this headline!!
Bravery. A deep bow to you, sir.
Amy: THANK YOU FOR TAKING YOUR STAND with Edgewood.
His comments are COMPLETELY INAPPROPRIATE. Even Fox
News had Daniel on interview. He is not talking about
his GAYNESS, but rather his HUMANITY in helping someone he deeply
cared for. THAT is PURE HUMANITY…. above and beyond
sexuality and race…. Daniel: Bless you
mi amigo…… And …your Nursing Assistant
Teacher.
Daniel Hernandez for President, 2028!!!!
Yes, Bill, but since the state of Arizona can’t see everyone’s “pure humanity,” the fact that Mr. Hernandez is a homosexual and a Hispanic needs to be pointed out. So the most bigoted state in the Union can see that if it weren’t for a Mexican-American gay man, a few more white Arizonans would be dead.
What an amazing human being–and only twenty years old! I also agree with the need to show that sexuality and skin color do not inhibit a person’s ability to do great things, or anything at all.
THANK GOD for Mr. Hernandez. Now HE`S a Hero in my book!! 🙂
Daniel,THANK YOU for saving her life and helping the others who needed help.
You should be very proud of
your self what a great person you are, agreat human being.lee gibson
a true hero of course – And yes, saying hes gay is a good thing. As he saved the life of a fighter, who he was happy to work with, because of her great influence to the gay community.
Plus, im making a good point for him here…
for the most part, gays are better because they seem to have more caring for the average person, and more respect. (not saying others dont of course)
I am literally in tears right now. How beautiful. I could never be so brave.
Pride. Mr. Hernandez is a hero on many levels.
This is one gay man who is so proud of Daniel!
Another reason WHY it is important to point out he is GAY AND A HERO is because a certain 33 year old man saved the life of Gerald Ford-knocked the gun out of the murderer’s hand, the hero was a MIlitary vet and GAY and was never honored, or invited to the white house, but got a..note. A NOTE-nothing else ever, even at his funeral. He was outed from the incident and his family were ashamed of him (and Ford didnt want to honor a GAY man who only saved him) and he became an alcoholic and killed himself. THAT”S WHY ITS IMPORTANT
That`s EXACTLY why it is important to point it out. Until gay people have 100% full rights in America, we will continue to tell people just how important they are in their lives. (whether people want to realize this or not.) THIS IS AMERICA! 🙂
Oh, and SHAME on Gerald Ford. What an ungrateful jackass!