By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 17:36 EST, 26 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:04 EST, 27 August 2013 . Widowmaker: Major Nidal Hasan was convicted last week of killing 13 and injuring 30 after he went on a shooting spree at Fort Hood four years ago. Today victims and their family members talked about the destruction he created . Four years later, victims of the Fort Hood massacre got the opportunity to speak about the physical and emotional toll the shooting spree had on their lives. Survivors of the attack and relatives of those killed at Fort Hood testified Monday during the sentencing phase of Major Nidal Hasan's trial. Prosecutors hope the testimony helps convince jurors to impose a rare military death sentence on Hasan, who was convicted last week of killing 13 people and wounding more than 30 others at the Texas military base. Staff Sgt. Patrick Ziegler was one of the 30 injured in the attack and among the first to testify Monday. Sgt . Ziegler was shot at four times that day and was immediately sent into . emergency surgery. Doctors didn't expect him to survive. And if he did, . they predicted he would be in a vegetative state. Against all odds, he made it through but life has been no picnic since that November day for the now partially-paralyzed soldier. 'It pretty much affected every facet of my personality. I'm a lot angrier and a lot darker than I used to be,' he testified. After . the shooting he spent another 11 months hospitalized, and underwent 10 . more operations. Because he's paralyzed, he can't play with a son like a . normal father. Survivor: Staff Sgt Patrick Ziegler was shot by Maj Hasan that day and became severely paralyzed . While he is . hopefull that he will gain more movement, he said he will eventually . succumb to his wounds and 'won't be able to function.' Widows . and parents of those who were killed also testified today, proving that . Maj Hasan left a wake of destruction much larger than the 13 he killed, . and 30 he injured. Jennifer . Hunt had only been married to her husband Spc Jason Hunt for two and a . half months when he was shot to death by Maj Hasan. Too soon: Jennifer Hunt had only been married to her husband Spc Jason . Hunt for two and a half months when he was shot and killed by Maj Hasan. She says his death caused her to attempt suicide twice . She says her daughters have taken it a lot better than she has. 'I pretty much lost my mind for a while,' she said. 'I got suicidal. I had two suicide attempts.' For Juan Velez, Hasan not only killed his daughter, but his unborn grandchild. Double the loss: Juan Velez, center, spoke through an interpreter today about losing his daughter Pvt Francheska Velez, and the unborn grandchild she was carrying . Loss: Shoua Her's story about how she lost her husband, 23-year-old Kham Xiong, brought one male juror to tears . 'That man did not just kill 13 that day. He killed 15. He killed my grandson and he killed me that day,' said Mr Velez, with the aid of an interpreter. His daughter Private Francheska Velez, 21, was pregnant when she was shot. According to reports, Pvt Velez pleaded with Hasan to not kill her, and spare her child's life. Shoua Her wiped away tears as she recalled how her husband, Pfc Kham Xiong, talked about growing old together and having more children. Now, she said, her three children only know their slain father through memories or stories. 'I miss him a lot,' she said. 'I miss . his soft, gentle hands. How he holds me. He made me feel safe and . secure. Now the other side of the bed is empty and cold. I feel dead but . alive.' As she testified, one juror, a male officer, fought back tears. The jury is made up of 13 high-ranking military officers. Another . woman, Angela Rivera, was widowed when Hasan killed her husband - Maj . Libardo Eduardo Caraveo. Maj Caraveo was the father of five, three of . whom were still young and living at home. Another widow: Angela Rivera's husband Maj Libardo Caraveo had arrived at Fort Hood the day before to deploy for Afghanistan when he was shot and killed . Her husband had only arrived at Fort Hood the following day, right before he was due to deploy to Afghanistan. For a long time, her only comfort was keeping her husband's cellphone on just so she could call it and hear his voice. And she wasn't the only one. She would see the missed calls from other family members doing the same thing. Father killed: Maj Caraveo left behind five children, and three still living at home . Mrs Rivera testified to something her 12-year-old daughter told her: 'Mom, I hope who did this understands the pain he has caused all these families.' Other widows, mothers, children and siblings of the slain were expected to tell the jury about how their loves ones and describe the pain of living the last four years without them. Two more soldiers who suffered debilitating injuries also were scheduled to testify about their struggles since the attack. What they won't be allowed to do is talk about their feelings toward Hasan or what punishment they think he deserves. Terror: In this image released by the U.S. Army, wounded are prepared for transport in waiting ambulances outside Fort Hood's Soldier Readiness Processing Center Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009, in Fort Hood, Texas . Attack: U.S. Army post police take cover as a gunman fires at the Soldier Readiness Processing Center November 5, 2009 at Fort Hood, Texas. Thirty were wounded in the deadly rampage at Fort Hood that left thirteen dead . Hasan, an American-born Muslim, has admitted carrying out the attack and showed no reaction when he was found guilty. He is representing himself during his trial, yet he called no witnesses, declined to testify and questioned only three of prosecutors' nearly 90 witnesses before he was convicted. It remained unclear Monday whether he planned to say anything during the trial's sentencing phase. The judge, as she has done repeatedly, asked Hasan on Monday if he wanted to continue representing himself. She went through a series of questions that appeared to be aimed at getting on the record that Hasan was adamant about remaining in charge of his own defense. 'The defense rests': Accused Fort Hood shooter Major Nadal Hasan refused to defend himself in court . 'You understand that this is the stage of trial ... you are staking your life on decisions you make. You understand?' the judge, Col. Tara Osborn, asked. 'I do,' Hasan said. She told him that it was 'unwise to represent yourself, but it's your choice.' At the minimum, the 42-year-old Hasan will spend the rest of his life in prison. Prosecutors want Hasan to join just five other U.S. service members currently on military death row. No American soldier has been executed since 1961. Many military death row inmates have had their sentences overturned on appeal, which are automatic when jurors vote for the death penalty. The U.S. president must eventually approve a military death sentence. Jurors must be unanimous to sentence him to death.
Major Nidal Hasan was found guilty last week on all charges relating to the 2009 shooting spree at Fort Hood .
Today marked the beginning of the sentencing phase of his trial .
Those injured that day, as well as family members of those killed, got the chance to speak about the impact the shooting had on their lives .
Maj Hasan will at least spend the rest of life in prison, but could receive the death penalty .
No American soldier has been executed since 1961 .
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 17:36 EST, 26 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:04 EST, 27 August 2013 . Widowmaker: Major Nidal Hasan was convicted last week of killing 13 and injuring 30 after he went on a shooting spree at Fort Hood four years ago. Today victims and their family members talked about the destruction he created . Four years later, victims of the Fort Hood massacre got the opportunity to speak about the physical and emotional toll the shooting spree had on their lives. Survivors of the attack and relatives of those killed at Fort Hood testified Monday during the sentencing phase of Major Nidal Hasan's trial. Prosecutors hope the testimony helps convince jurors to impose a rare military death sentence on Hasan, who was convicted last week of killing 13 people and wounding more than 30 others at the Texas military base. Staff Sgt. Patrick Ziegler was one of the 30 injured in the attack and among the first to testify Monday. Sgt . Ziegler was shot at four times that day and was immediately sent into . emergency surgery. Doctors didn't expect him to survive. And if he did, . they predicted he would be in a vegetative state. Against all odds, he made it through but life has been no picnic since that November day for the now partially-paralyzed soldier. 'It pretty much affected every facet of my personality. I'm a lot angrier and a lot darker than I used to be,' he testified. After . the shooting he spent another 11 months hospitalized, and underwent 10 . more operations. Because he's paralyzed, he can't play with a son like a . normal father. Survivor: Staff Sgt Patrick Ziegler was shot by Maj Hasan that day and became severely paralyzed . While he is . hopefull that he will gain more movement, he said he will eventually . succumb to his wounds and 'won't be able to function.' Widows . and parents of those who were killed also testified today, proving that . Maj Hasan left a wake of destruction much larger than the 13 he killed, . and 30 he injured. Jennifer . Hunt had only been married to her husband Spc Jason Hunt for two and a . half months when he was shot to death by Maj Hasan. Too soon: Jennifer Hunt had only been married to her husband Spc Jason . Hunt for two and a half months when he was shot and killed by Maj Hasan. She says his death caused her to attempt suicide twice . She says her daughters have taken it a lot better than she has. 'I pretty much lost my mind for a while,' she said. 'I got suicidal. I had two suicide attempts.' For Juan Velez, Hasan not only killed his daughter, but his unborn grandchild. Double the loss: Juan Velez, center, spoke through an interpreter today about losing his daughter Pvt Francheska Velez, and the unborn grandchild she was carrying . Loss: Shoua Her's story about how she lost her husband, 23-year-old Kham Xiong, brought one male juror to tears . 'That man did not just kill 13 that day. He killed 15. He killed my grandson and he killed me that day,' said Mr Velez, with the aid of an interpreter. His daughter Private Francheska Velez, 21, was pregnant when she was shot. According to reports, Pvt Velez pleaded with Hasan to not kill her, and spare her child's life. Shoua Her wiped away tears as she recalled how her husband, Pfc Kham Xiong, talked about growing old together and having more children. Now, she said, her three children only know their slain father through memories or stories. 'I miss him a lot,' she said. 'I miss . his soft, gentle hands. How he holds me. He made me feel safe and . secure. Now the other side of the bed is empty and cold. I feel dead but . alive.' As she testified, one juror, a male officer, fought back tears. The jury is made up of 13 high-ranking military officers. Another . woman, Angela Rivera, was widowed when Hasan killed her husband - Maj . Libardo Eduardo Caraveo. Maj Caraveo was the father of five, three of . whom were still young and living at home. Another widow: Angela Rivera's husband Maj Libardo Caraveo had arrived at Fort Hood the day before to deploy for Afghanistan when he was shot and killed . Her husband had only arrived at Fort Hood the following day, right before he was due to deploy to Afghanistan. For a long time, her only comfort was keeping her husband's cellphone on just so she could call it and hear his voice. And she wasn't the only one. She would see the missed calls from other family members doing the same thing. Father killed: Maj Caraveo left behind five children, and three still living at home . Mrs Rivera testified to something her 12-year-old daughter told her: 'Mom, I hope who did this understands the pain he has caused all these families.' Other widows, mothers, children and siblings of the slain were expected to tell the jury about how their loves ones and describe the pain of living the last four years without them. Two more soldiers who suffered debilitating injuries also were scheduled to testify about their struggles since the attack. What they won't be allowed to do is talk about their feelings toward Hasan or what punishment they think he deserves. Terror: In this image released by the U.S. Army, wounded are prepared for transport in waiting ambulances outside Fort Hood's Soldier Readiness Processing Center Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009, in Fort Hood, Texas . Attack: U.S. Army post police take cover as a gunman fires at the Soldier Readiness Processing Center November 5, 2009 at Fort Hood, Texas. Thirty were wounded in the deadly rampage at Fort Hood that left thirteen dead . Hasan, an American-born Muslim, has admitted carrying out the attack and showed no reaction when he was found guilty. He is representing himself during his trial, yet he called no witnesses, declined to testify and questioned only three of prosecutors' nearly 90 witnesses before he was convicted. It remained unclear Monday whether he planned to say anything during the trial's sentencing phase. The judge, as she has done repeatedly, asked Hasan on Monday if he wanted to continue representing himself. She went through a series of questions that appeared to be aimed at getting on the record that Hasan was adamant about remaining in charge of his own defense. 'The defense rests': Accused Fort Hood shooter Major Nadal Hasan refused to defend himself in court . 'You understand that this is the stage of trial ... you are staking your life on decisions you make. You understand?' the judge, Col. Tara Osborn, asked. 'I do,' Hasan said. She told him that it was 'unwise to represent yourself, but it's your choice.' At the minimum, the 42-year-old Hasan will spend the rest of his life in prison. Prosecutors want Hasan to join just five other U.S. service members currently on military death row. No American soldier has been executed since 1961. Many military death row inmates have had their sentences overturned on appeal, which are automatic when jurors vote for the death penalty. The U.S. president must eventually approve a military death sentence. Jurors must be unanimous to sentence him to death.
massacre got the opportunity to speak about the physical and emotional toll the shooting spree had on their lives. Survivors of the attack and relatives of those killed at Fort Hood testified Monday during the sentencing phase of Major Nidal Ziegler was shot by Maj Hasan that day and became minimum, the 42-year-old Hasan will spend the rest of his life in prison. Prosecutors want American soldier has been executed since 1961. automatic when jurors vote for the death penalty.