Taking it day by day in Tucson

>>> in tonight for brian williams . it's hard to believe it's been almost a week since the massacre outside a tucson supermarket. and for her doctors, even harder to believe that wounded congresswoman gabby giffords has come as far as she has. today, her husband tweeted, thanks for all the messages of support. i have some great follows. g.g., he wrote, has been improving each day. that encouraging message came on another bittersweet day in tucson as another victim was laid to rest and some of the survivors began new chapters in their forever altered lives. nbc's kristen welker joins us now with the latest.

>> reporter: lester, these have been long and difficult days for tucson residents but now the weekend begins with much-needed good news. doctors at university medical center treating gabrielle giffords say with each passing day there is progress.

>> we couldn't have hoped for any better improvement than we're seeing now.

>> reporter: ron barber, wounded saturday, was released today. he posed for a picture with anna ballis. barber also visited the memorial.

>> he insisted that he take him out there. he wanted to see the entire thick.

>> reporter: giffords' aide, pam simon, returned to work today at the congresswoman's district office.

>> i celebrate every morning she's still here.

>> reporter: she says her physical wounds are still healing, but the pain of losing six people will last a lifetime.

>> i think there are almost no words when you have that kind of loss of life, especially when they are people that did nothing more than do what good citizens do.

>> reporter: randy gardner is also a survivor. in a chilling coincidence, he was a student at kent state in 1970 when the ohio national guard opened fire on students protesting the war in vietnam.

>> in some ways it seems like we have just as much anger today as we had then.

>> reporter: today, pima county sheriff's department released emergency dispatch calls deploying deputies.

>> we have a caller who believes that gabrielle giffords was shot.

>> reporter: and reports from the first to reach the scene.

>> we have at least seven, eight, maybe ten gunshot victims here.

>> reporter: tucson continues to say goodbye. mourners came to pay their respects as 63-year-old federal judge john roll was laid to rest. dark days for a community shrouded in grief. and this community still has to bury four more victims. the congresswoman remains in critical condition here at the hospital. three others are in good condition. expected to be released soon. lester?

>> kristen welker tonight, thank you.