Suzie Heilman, Who Brought Christina-Taylor to Giffords Event, Screaming Out In Her Sleep
Suzie Heilman brought Christina-Taylor Green to Rep. Gabrielle Giffords' event.
Jan. 11, 2011 — -- The woman who brought 9-year-old Christina-Taylor Green to the event where she was fatally shot has been screaming out from her hospital bed, "Christina! Christina! Let's get out of here!"
Suzie Heilman, who is recovering from multiple gunshot wounds, had been holding hands with Christina-Taylor as they waited in line to meet Rep. Gabrielle Giffords Saturday when alleged gunman Jared Loughner opened fire, husband Bill Heilman said.
"Yes, my wife Suzie was the parent who took Christina-Taylor Green to this event," Heilman said at a news conference today, adding that his wife is aware of the girl's death.
"Suzie had been looking for an event they could share together. ... Gabby's event made all kinds of sense ... it was a magnificent chance to provide a positive female role model for Little Christina."
Heilman was one of more than 20 people shot during Saturday's massacre, and Christina-Taylor one of six who died. Giffords is believed to have been the target of the shooting.
Heilman said his wife's account of what happened during the shooting is not all coherent because she is under a "morphine-induced haze" as she heals from three gunshot wounds. She is having "flashbacks of uncomfortable moments," he said
"She keeps talking about holding hands and saying that the bleeding was profuse," Heilman said.
Christina-Taylor had recently been elected a member of her elementary school's student council and, having been born on 9/11, had an intense interest in politics. Her mother, Roxanna Green, told ABC News that her daughter was excited to go to the event because she wanted to "learn more about the political process."
Heilman, who has been friends with the Green family for more than four years and considered Christina-Taylor and her brother, Dallas, to be their unofficial grandchildren, said the first thing his wife asked when she was able to talk was, "What happened to Christina?"
Heilman's wife is expected to make a full recovery.
Also at the news conference were two daughters of Mavy and Dorwan Stoddard. Dorwan, 76, was on top of his wife during the shooting, protecting her from the torrent of bullets. Mavy Stoddard thought her husband was hurting her by lying on top of her, not realizing that she'd been shot three times in the legs.