Mark Kelly was elected to Congress 10 years after Gabrielle Giffords survived an assassination attempt. Here's a timeline of their relationship.

Mark Kelly leans his head on the shoulder of his wife, former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords.Joshua Lott/Getty Images

• Mark Kelly and Gabrielle Giffords met in 2003 and became friends before striking up a romantic relationship and marrying in 2007.
• When Giffords survived an assassination attempt in 2011 with brain damage that left her with speech and movement difficulties, Kelly was there for every step of her recovery.
• Together, they wrote a book and founded a political action committee to advocate for safer gun laws.
• Kelly successfully ran for Congress in 2020 and is now a US senator representing Arizona. Giffords held the Bible for his swearing-in ceremony.

When Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords survived an an assassination attempt in 2011, her astronaut husband Mark Kelly was there for every step of her recovery. Now, he's a congressman himself.

Giffords was a rising star in the House of Representatives when she was shot in the head in 2011 while meeting with constituents outside of a grocery store. She survived the shooting and has become a powerful advocate for safer gun laws.

Kelly is a retired NASA astronaut who has commanded several missions to the International Space Station, and began his first term as a US senator for Arizona in 2021. He has remained a steady, loving presence as Giffords has slowly regained her abilities to read, speak, and walk.

Together, they have shared their story in the hope of eliminating gun violence and inspiring resilience in the face of difficult challenges.

Here's a timeline of their relationship.