Mark and Scott Kelly, accompanied by Mark's wife, former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, will have their elementary school named after them, and May 19 will be declared Kelly Family Day Watch video
View full sizeMark Kelly and his crew walk out for the launch of Shuttle Endeavour last year.WEST ORANGE -- Retired astronauts Mark and Scott Kelly, identical twins who are the only siblings ever to have both traveled in space, will be celebrated Thursday with a homecoming in West Orange, where the two grew up.
In March, Scott Kelly returned to earth after 340 days on the International Space Station.
Mark Kelly is married to former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona, who will accompany the brothers on their visit to West Orange. Giffords was wounded in a mass shooting in Arizona in 2011 that killed six people and sparked a nationwide debate over gun control.
The brothers, who are 52, will be at Pleasantdale Elementary School at 10 a.m., when the school will be officially renamed after them.
At 2:45 p.m., the former congresswoman and retired astronauts will be at West Orange Town Hall, where Mayor Robert Parisi will declare May 19 Kelly Family Day.
Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveStrunsky. Find NJ.com on Facebook.