For six months, he has been a giant in the background for U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and her husband, quietly leveraging his power to help the couple rebound from devastation.
His private jets, his home in River Oaks, his ranch, his media connections and even his restaurant empire have played roles in simultaneously supporting Giffords and protecting her from public view as she has pushed through her recovery, sources close to Giffords said.
But Houston restaurant tycoon Tilman Fertitta, a close friend of Giffords’ husband, League City astronaut Mark Kelly, doesn’t think much of his role, even as it highlights a compassionate side of his personality often lost amid headlines about his hardball business tactics.
“That’s just what you do,” 54-year-old Fertitta said of his efforts to help Kelly and Giffords.