Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and her husband Mark Kelly attended the one year anniversary vigil for those wounded and killed in the Tucson shootings last year at the hands of Jared Lee Loughner.

Rep Giffords was shot through the left side of the head on 8th January last year. Since then her recovery has been miraculous but her public appearances have been rare. However, on Sunday night, holding the hand of her husband, former NASA astronaut Mark Kelly, she led the crowd of 1,000 people at the University of Arizona in the Pledge of Allegiance.

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As soon as Giffords came into sight the crowd began to cheer, the LA Times reports.

Giffords recited the Pledge of Allegiance alongside Ron Barber, the three-term congresswoman’s district director, who was also shot in the 8th January 2011 shooting.

Barber served as master of ceremonies at the event.

The shootings killed six and wounded 13 others. The gunman, Jared Lee Loughner, remains in custody, under psychiatric supervision.

AP video of Giffords at the event: