Age: 39
Occupation: Arizona Congresswoman in the House of Representatives
Previous TIME 100 appearances: 0
Gabrielle Giffords' survival of a gunshot wound to the head, sustained during the Jan. 8 massacre in Tucson, Ariz., was called a miracle. For many, she exemplifies the healing power of determination and courage. Doctors who were initially unsure that she would ever breathe on her own again, let alone talk or walk, now say she may be able to attend the April launch of the final space-shuttle mission, which her husband Mark Kelly will captain.