Premium ContentClick on Premium Content on the Featured navigation bar for information.
Video: Gabrielle Giffords announces her resignation
Photo showcase: Gabrielle Giffords, from Congress to recovery
Photo showcase: Capt. Mark Kelly signs books in Lincoln
LINCOLN — Capt. Mark Kelly said Monday that his wife "feels pretty good" about her decision to resign from Congress.
U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who survived being shot in the head in an assassination attempt a year ago, announced Sunday that she was stepping down to focus on her recovery.
Kelly, a retired astronaut, was at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln on Monday to deliver a lecture as part of the Peter J. Hoagland Integrity in Public Service Lecture Series. About 500 people attended.
"Everyone thought Gabby would run again," Kelly said. "She could've. She could've hung onto her seat and done the politically expedient thing. But she wanted to do the right thing. She wanted to focus on her recovery."
Kelly said he has been asked repeatedly but will not run for Congress.
"Right now my goal is to make sure she can get back to where she needs to be so she can go to work," he said.
Public service is something with which Kelly, who spent 35 years in the U.S. Navy and with NASA, has experience. His mother, Patricia Kelly, was a police officer. His twin brother, Scott Kelly, is also an astronaut.
He talked about the many crucial decisions he has made: his wife's care after her injury; flying a combat mission during the Persian Gulf War; and traveling to space on one last mission in May 2011.
The ability to "compartmentalize" his thoughts, something he learned from a combat-mission partner in the Gulf War, has been key to his success, Kelly said.
He said he never thought Giffords would be the one to risk her life in the service of her country.
"It wasn't gonna be me, the guy in the military, it was Gabby in the really risky business."
After learning that she was shot and while traveling to be by her side, Kelly said, he heard news reports that Giffords had died. For 30 minutes, he and his family thought she was dead.
"It was certainly the worst 30 minutes of my life."
He left those who attended the speech with a message from Giffords: Be passionate. Be courageous. Be strong. Be your best.
Before the lecture, Kelly took questions from students, including those in UNL's Space and Telecom Law program, and talked about his experiences in space.
When asked to describe the final moments before shuttle launch, Kelly said the astronauts are so busy there is little time to be afraid.
"You know it's the right thing to do, but you also know it could be a really bad day," Kelly said.
World-Herald staff writer Leslie Reed contributed to this report.
Capt. Mark Kelly in Lincoln
Copyright ©2012 Omaha World-Herald®. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, displayed or redistributed for any purpose without permission from the Omaha World-Herald.
