Daniel Hernandez, 20-Year-Old Intern, Hailed For Helping Gabrielle Giffords After Shooting

A 20-year-old intern is being hailed as a hero for his actions following Saturday's brutal shooting in Arizona.

Daniel Hernandez had been an intern for Rep. Gabrielle Giffords for just five days when a gunman opened fire in Tucson, killing six and putting the Arizona congresswoman in critical condition, AZCentral reports.

According to AZCentral, the University of Arizona junior says he ran towards the gunshots as soon as he heard them. "I don't even know if the gunfire had stopped," he says.

Hernandez tells ABC News that he rushed to a badly wounded Giffords to help stop her bleeding. "I had to lift up the congresswoman because she was severely injured, and I wanted to make sure that she was able to breathe okay because there was so much blood."

Hernandez adds that Giffords was "alert" and "able to hold my hand when I asked her if she could hear me." While the 20-year-old says that the congresswoman was responsive, he "wasn't able to get any words from her."

"'If you can hear me Gabby just grab my hand to let me know that you're okay,'" he says he told Giffords. "It was probably not the best idea to run toward the gunshots, but people needed help."

WATCH (interview begins at 5:10 mark):

Comments

[Annie Quark]

11:14 PM on 01/13/2011

What an amazing young man this Daniel Hernandez We can only hope our sons
and daughters act as selflessly. Daniel did not mind the call to courage.
The extraordinary often react that way, because it is not about them....but about
helping others.

[marind]

05:07 PM on 01/13/2011

No need to comment on the irony of an Arizona member of Congress being saved by a man from a background that the people of that state despise. But I will anyway.

[Sarita1225]

11:32 PM on 01/12/2011

Latino/latina or just latin is much more appropriate than Hispanic.

[David Rojas]

09:40 PM on 01/12/2011

Daniel Hernandez is my American hero just for today but for life. David Rojas-Las Vegas

[KairiMelodya]

06:58 PM on 01/12/2011

20 yrs old, and his 5th day on the job. Amazing. It's really sad that the first thoughts comming into someone's mind could be his legal status just because his last name is "Hernandez" and the way he looks, if he was not Hispanic descent his legal status or nationality would have never been brought up. He saved a life, his legal status (he is legally here btw) does not lessen this action.

[Americanium]

06:15 PM on 01/10/2011

Those early minutes were critical in helping the surgeons diagnose and treat Rep. Gifford. They knew that she was not brain dead which is usually a good sign. I wonder if he (Hernandez) had medical training?

I am proud of him and I don't even know him...

[nellpost]

04:48 PM on 01/10/2011

Let's see: the Dream Act is the one that provides citizenship for hispanic kids and the repeal of DADT allows for all to serve without fear.....

[AZ-Ed]

03:44 AM on 01/11/2011

Dream act only presented a path towards Citizenship, it had to be earned =D nothing would have been given out. (Temporary legal status, then Residency, and if they wanted to they could apply for Citizenship)

[atila]

02:00 PM on 01/10/2011

Daniel is Hispanic,maybe a Mexican descent,sadly enough,one of those who Arizona conservatives considered in their "Papers please" law.

[Reiziger]

01:47 PM on 01/10/2011

And then Herndandez was asked for his papers upon arrival of the police to the scene

[chessy]

01:41 PM on 01/10/2011

OMG!!! He's Hispanic!!!!!

[Gatormouth]

01:39 PM on 01/10/2011

"It was probably not the best idea to run toward the gunshots, but people needed help." That's almost a text book definition "Hero" Not merely hurt or killed while doing their job, however commendable that is. Napoleon's most valued generals in battle were those that marched toward the sound of guns, self being secondary to duty and the welfare of others. We should treasure these sentiments and these examples.

[asddictedtochess]

01:20 PM on 01/10/2011

it's really a twisted irony that a hispanic played a role in saving her life, all things considered. you know when Jared went up to the congress woman he asked her something about "what is government if words have no meaning." He's also has a weird obsession with grammar that isn't that of a grammarian. I think he's just putting a twist on the english only theme. it seems to me judging from his videos that this is one of the main things making this guy tick.

[george6090]

01:37 PM on 01/10/2011

Typical, just cannot let an act be judged on its' merits. Have to take the person down immediately, especially if it fits your agenda. Here a definition of a hero, covers male/female: An ordinary individual over coming extraordinary circumstances. It does include a political affiliation, a particular religion, sex, age, color or a perfect, heroic life, before or after the act.
Can't you just let it be? You have to put all the negatives on one act?

[BestNBrightest2012]

01:43 PM on 01/10/2011

Sometime, the obsession with something like illegal immigration will need to be set aside!

[worried1]

01:20 PM on 01/10/2011

As a Hispanic man, Mr. Hernandez can be stopped at any time in Arizona and forced to prove his legality. As a gay man, he cannot serve in the military, he cannot marry any partner he chooses.

[Ophie511]

01:13 PM on 01/10/2011

I don't even know this young man and my heart swells with pride for him.