Gabrielle Giffords' Nurse: 'She Smiles, She Knows' That She's Lucky

Jan. 26, 2011 — -- Last night's State of the Union turned poignant with a standing ovation for Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and the team of heroes that helped save her life.

"As we mark this occasion, we are also mindful of the empty chair in this Chamber, and pray for the health of our colleague - and our friend - Gabby Giffords," President Obama said.

In the chamber was trauma nurse Tracy Culbert. She's been by Giffords' side since the day of the shooting. Seeing the empty chair that signified Giffords' absence made Culbert emotional.

"I have a personal connection with her and so it was very tearful for me. It shows how much they care for her and they're wanting her back and so that chair represents the fact that she's going to be back one day," Culbert said.

Culbert attended the State of the Union address at the request of members of Giffords' staff.

"To have this gift extended to me, I am so gracious, I can't even explain how grateful I am to Mark Kelly and the Giffords family. I'm very honored, very honored," Culbert said.

When Giffords was moved from Tucson's University Medical Center to Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center in Houston last week, Culbert was right there, by her side.

The nurse said that even while in a hospital bed recovering from a brain injury, Giffords consoles and cares for those around her.

One day, Culbert was sitting by Giffords' side, holding her hand and talking to her. Culbert was wearing a necklace she wears often. The charm on the necklace is a thumbprint of her late father. Giffords reached up and took a hold of the necklace, motioning that she wanted to know the meaning of it.

"I started getting some tears in my eyes and she reached up to my shoulder and she was stroking my shoulder and tried to pull me forward like to hug me. And I told her, 'I'm going to cry Gabby, you're going to make me cry.' She was patting my back, like it's going to be ok," Culbert said.

Culbert said that the optimism and support of Giffords' family has made a difference in her remarkable recovery. She said that Giffords' mother, father and husband are by her side every day.

"I just see the look of her in her father's eyes, just he loves her so much," Culbert said. "I've explained to her that she's a very lucky woman to have all of the support that she's had, especially Mark [Kelly] and her parents. She smiles, she knows."