Mark Kelly retires from NASA – plans to write memoir with Gabrielle Giffords

Amazing couple plan to tell their own story in new memoir

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Gabrielle Giffords and Mark Kelly

Photo by LA Times

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Captain Mark Kelly, who was the commander on the Endeavour space shuttle’s recent and final mission, has announced his retirement from NASA, effective on October 1. Kelly and his wife Gabrielle Giffords, who was recently released from hospital, plan to write their memoir.

The Associated Press has reported that the all-American sweethearts, an astronaut and a politician, who have been through so much over the last couple of months, will pen the book together.

It has been described as “an intimate chronicle of everything from their careers and courtship to the Jan. 8 tragedy when a gunman shot Giffords in the head during a political event in Tucson, Ariz. Six people were killed in the attack, and 12 others besides the congresswoman were wounded."

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On his Facebook wall, on Tuesday, Kelly wrote “As life takes unexpected turns we frequently come to a crossroads. I am at this point today...Gabrielle is working hard every day on her mission of recovery. I want to be by her side."

During a recent interview in Texas Kelly told the AP “Since Jan. 8, it's been really touching to us to see how much support there is for Gabby and her recovery, and how much interest there is in how she's doing and her story.

"After thinking about it, and talking about it, we decided it was the right thing to do to put our words and our voices on paper and tell our story from our point of view."

Writer Jeffery Zaslow, who helped “The Miracle on the Hudson” pilot Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger with his memoir, will collaborate with the couple. Kelly will be the main collaborator with Giffords focusing on her daily rehabilitation therapy at the nearby TIRR Memorial Hermann Hospital, Houston.

The couple will get no advance for the book and the project must firstly be cleared by the House ethics committee. They have also announced that a portion of the proceeds from the book will go to Arizona charities.

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