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President Joe Biden appeared to eulogize former Democratic congresswoman Gabby Giffords on Friday while praising her husband Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) in Arizona.

Giffords was horrifically shot in the head during a 2011 mass shooting near Tuscon. She survived and resigned from the House. Her long road to recovery was well-documented.

On Friday afternoon, Biden was in Arizona to apologize to Native Americans nationwide on behalf of the U.S. government for the atrocities committed in boarding schools for Indian children.

Prior to his comments on Native American children, the president was introduced on stage by Gov. Stephen Lewis of the Gila River Indian Community. Biden thanked Lewis, introduced himself, offered Sen. Kelly a shoutout, and then appeared to refer to Giffords in the past tense:

I’m Joe Biden, Jill Biden’s husband. Governor, thank you for the introduction. And to the – Gila River Indian Community – for welcoming me today. You know, I say this with all sincerity. This, to me, is one of the most consequential things I’ve ever had the opportunity to do in my career as President of the United States. it is an honor, a genuine honor to be in this special place on this special day. Thank you to Senator Mark Kelly, a great friend who also was married to an incredible woman who was my friend.

It wasn’t the first time Biden prematurely buried someone. As vice president in 2010, Biden asked for a blessing for the mother of Ireland’s prime minister, stating, “God bless her soul,” despite her being very much alive.

Biden went on to speak to Native Americans, where he offered an apology he said was “overdue” in regard to Indian children who were forcibly relocated to boarding schools for a period of 150 years ending in the 1960s.

Hundreds of those children died in the schools, while untold others were subjected to physical and sexual abuse.

Biden became the first U.S. president to officially apologize for the relocation programs on Friday, fulfilling a long promise to do so.

Watch above via C-SPAN.

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