"Gabrielle Giffords: Won't Back Down" tells the story of a survivor who doesn't look back, but who must still acknowledge the past.
The stories on this week’s show are about recovering results of gun violence, and survival after losing a loved one to homicide. While nothing graphic will be discussed, we do understand that these topics are not appropriate for all listeners.
Featured on the January 8th, 2026 edition of ARIZONA SPOTLIGHT with host Mark McLemore:
- A conversation with Julie Cohen and Betsy West, the directors of the documentary Gabby Giffords: Won’t Back Down. The 2022 film depicts the ongoing journey of recovery that Gabby Giffords has been on since January 8th, 2011.
It is now available on several streaming services, including Amazon Prime.
- Mark also talks with Dr. Fabi Hirsch-Kruse, a speech pathologist who has been personally working with former Arizona Congress member Gabrielle Giffords since she was wounded in an assassination attempt fifteen years ago. The traumatic brain injury that Giffords sustained means that she has had to completely re-learn her communication skills, something Dr. Hirsch-Kruse says she is accomplishing with hard work and a positive outlook.
- An important element of good mental health is learning how to process grief. Tony Paniagua speaks with Dennisse Ley, the executive director of Homicide Survivors, Inc. in Tucson. This non-profit group was established in the 1980s to support families and friends of murder victims.
Arizona Spotlight airs every Thursday at 8:30 am and 6:00 pm and every Friday at 8:00 pm on NPR 89.1 FM / 1550 AM. You can subscribe to our podcast on Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, or the NPR App. See more from Arizona Spotlight.
