Jason Atkinson Featured in Piece Remembering Tuscon

Contributing RP Jason Atkinson was featured this week in a television piece commemorating the one-year anniversary of the Tucson tragedy that left six people dead and critically injured Congresswoman Gabby Giffords.  Giffors, who has miraculously recovered, was a fellow classmate of Jason’s (and The RP – pictured behind Giffords) in the inaugural class of the Aspen Institute’s Rodel Fellows program.

From KDRV News Watch 12:

The tragedy in Tuscon that took the lives of six people and injured many more, resonated with Americans across the country.

For one state lawmaker, it was his friend Gabrielle Giffords who fought to stay alive that morning and has been recovering ever since.

State Senator Jason Atkinson studied along side Giffords for two years. The two developed a friendship which broke through their political barriers.

Sunday he looked back on that morning and said there are lessons to be learned.

January 8, 2011 Senator Atkinson received a phone call telling him to turn on the television.

“Between watching television and being on the phone with friends we just couldn’t believe what had happened,” said Senator Jason Atkinson.

His colleague and good friend Gabrielle Giffords was shot and many others in the same condition.

“I was worried about Gabby and that terrible injury,” said Atkinson.

Click here for the full story.