Debbie Wasserman Schultz Describes to CNN her Joy at Being Part of Gabrielle Giffords' 'Awakening'

Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz -- with Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y. -- joyously described for CNN's international audience Thursday morning what it was like to be part of the moment Wednesday when their friend Gabrielle Giffords opened her eyes for the first time and touched her husband Mark's hand.

Wasserman Schultz recounted telling the Arizona congresswoman, 'Come on, you've got to get better, because we expect you up in New Hampshire this summer" at Wasserman Schultz's vacation home.

"And just as I said that, that's when she suddenly was struggling to open ... her eyes," Wasserman Schultz told CNN. "First just a little bit. And the doctors couldn't believe it. They said, 'This is such a good time.'"

With her husband Mark urging her on, Giffords -- shot through the brain in an assassination attempt last Saturday during a constituent meet-and-greet -- took a moment to focus, didn't put her thumbs up as she was asked, but raised her entire arm. She touched her husband, Wasserman Schultz said, tried to hug him, touched his wedding ring.

"It was the most extraordinary moment ever," she said.

The incident occurred minutes after President Barack Obama had visited Giffords in her hospital room. Less than an hour after that, the president "electrified" a memorial-service crowd and a national television audience, revealing, "Gabby opened her eyes for the first time."

Doctors describe Giffords' recovery as going according to plan, proceeding without complication so far. But they remain cautious.