Heroes
There's a bevy to choose from:
There are comic book heroes like Avengers and Spiderman
who awed us in the past months with their superhuman skills.
There are real-life heroes who inspired a greater lot to go beyond limits and achieve greatness:
sports heroes like Michael Phelps
singing champions like Jessica Sanchez
They inspire little kids to dream big. Their talent and dedication show us the true beauty of our skills.
Then we have relative unknowns who, in extraodinary circumstances and excruciating seconds, manage to choose the selfless choice:
'Dark Knight' Shooting: 3 Boyfriends Die Shielding Girlfriends During Aurora Massacre (VIDEO, PHOTO)
The Huffington Post | By Ryan Grenoble Posted: 07/23/2012 1:11 pm Updated: 07/24/2012 4:56 pm
In the wake of Friday's devastating theater shooting in Aurora, Colo., President Obama remarked that it will be the "good people" -- the heroes who took action -- that remain in our memories long after James Holmes, the alleged gunman, has been forgotten.
And as stories from the darkened chaos begin to emerge, three among many share similar heroic stories: they all died shielding their girlfriends from bullets.
Jon Blunk had served in the Navy and was planning to re-enlist. On Friday, the 26-year-old took his girlfriend, Jansen Young, to see the "Dark Knight" -- when the assault began, Young says he saved her life. "Jon just took a bullet for me," Young said in an interview on "Today". "He knew and threw me on the ground, and was like, 'We have to get down and stay down.'"
While Holmes walked up and down the aisles shooting, Young says her boyfriend was a constant presence, pushing her further under the seats and out of the line of fire. Finally, as the shots slowed, she crawled out and attempted to pull up Blunk by the shoulder, but he didn't move.
"I guess I didn't really know he had passed, up until I started shaking him and saying, 'Jon, Jon, we have to go... It's time for us to get out of here,' '' she told the Denver Post.
Reached for comment by the NY Daily News, Young's mother described Blunk as "loving, the kind of guy you want your daughter to be with."
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In another part of the theater, 27-year-old Matt McQuinn was also shielding his girlfriend, Samantha Yowler, 26. "When the gunman started shooting, Matt and [her brother] Nick … pulled Samantha to the ground and shielded her," Rob Scott, an attorney representing the McQuinn and Yowler families, told USA Today.
Samantha suffered a bullet wound to the leg and is recovering, reports the Dayton Daily News. McQuinn, putting himself in danger to save his girlfriend, died at the theater after having been hit three times. Nick Yowler, her brother, was uninjured.
“Both the Yowler and McQuinn families thank everyone for their concerns, thoughts and prayers during this difficult time,” Scott added in a statement to the local paper. “The families ask for everyone to be patient and respect their wishes during this very difficult time.”
Similarly, Alex Teves, 24, shielded his girlfriend Amanda Lindgren when the gunman unleashed a barrage of bullets. “He was gonna hit the floor himself, but he never made it,” his aunt, Barbara Slivinske, told the NY Daily News.
After the incident on Friday, an acquaintance, "Caitlin," remarked of Teves on twitter:
@dingos8myTARDIS
Caitlin
Alex Teves was one of the best men I ever knew. The world isn't as good a place without him.
July 21, 2012 3:45 am via Twitter for iPhone Reply Retweet Favorite
According to the Denver Post, Teves had earned a master's degree in counseling psychology from the University of Denver in June. Mary Gomez, an advisor to Teves at DU, said his "top priority was his relationships. His loyalty is admirable and he always put his friends first."
As Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper noted on "Meet The Press" Sunday, the terrible incident was marked by countless acts of heroism--indeed, "heroism isn't strong enough a word."
Those wishing to donate to victims and families of the Aurora movie theater shooting can do so via HuffPost Impact's list of ways to help.
Then, there are those who, just become the hero the people 'dream' them up to be. Minus the mask.
Christian Bale Visits Colorado Shooting Victims
July 24, 2012 8:10 PM
Christian Bale at the Medical Center of Aurora with staff from Swedish Medical Center (credit: Swedish Medical Center)
AURORA, Colo. (AP/CB4) - Batman star Christian Bale visited survivors of the Colorado theater shooting Tuesday and stopped by a community memorial to victims of the attack that killed 12 people and injured 58.
Bale visited with little advance warning and also stopped by a community memorial to victims near the movie theater that was showing “The Dark Knight Rises” when the gunfire erupted.
Wisconsin native Carey Rottman, one of the 58 people injured in Friday’s shooting, posted two photos of himself with Bale on his Facebook page.
Carey Rottman and Christian Bale (credit: Facebook)
Bale first visited the Medical Center of Aurora. A large group of people could be seen outside the hospital’s entrance.
Janie Bowman-Hayes, assistant vice president of surgical services at sister hospital Swedish Medical Center, said she and co-workers were attending a luncheon at The Medical Center of Aurora to thank staff who tended to victims. “When we got there, then we found out he was there,” she said.
PHOTO GALLERY: Christian Bale Visits Colorado Shooting Victims
Bale, humble and dressed casually in a black t-shirt and jeans, thanked the staff, shook hands and agreed to have his photo taken with employees, Bowman-Hayes said.
“He just said he wanted to come to thank all of us because he has been thinking about this. He knows the whole world has been thinking about this,” she said. “He took it upon himself to come and thank us.”
One of the nurses inside the Medical Center of Aurora said that her patient who was hit by a bullet so far has had very little to say. She told him about Bale’s possible visit and the patient immediately broke out in a huge smile.
After visiting The Medical Center of Aurora, Bale stopped by a community memorial to the victims near the movie theater. He walked among the 12 crosses erected for each of the slain victims, and many people there didn’t realize who he was or chose to leave him alone.
(credit: The Denver Post)
It’s also reported that Bale visited a fire station to meet some of the first responders.
A Warner Bros. spokeswoman told The Denver Post that Bale was representing himself, not the movie studio.
There’s been an online campaign urging Bale to visit the victims of the shooting, which also killed 12 people.
Bale, who stars as Batman in “The Dark Knight Rises,” previously issued a written statement saying: “Words cannot express the horror that I feel. I cannot begin to truly understand the pain and grief of the victims and their loved ones, but my heart goes out to them.”
Some of the survivors also have received hospital visits from President Barack Obama and members of the Denver Broncos.
Bowman-Hayes and her staff cared for patients at both Swedish Medical Center and The Medical Center of Aurora after the shootings, whether it was in the operating room or intensive care unit, or by washing medical instruments. She said the staff appreciated Bale’s visit.
“He did this out of his heart, and you could really tell. It was so sincere,” she said. “It was just, ‘thank you.’”
Don’t miss a special hour long report on CBS4 on Friday at 4 p.m. titled “Movie Theater Tragedy: Remember, Honor Support” which will look back at the week following the Aurora shootings.
(TM and © Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
But, honestly, we don't have to look to TV or newspapers to look for our heroes. Everyday, we encounter a person who was saved or can save someone. Everyday, we are inspired and we inspire someone.
THANK YOU for saving someone today. :)
There are comic book heroes like Avengers and Spiderman
who awed us in the past months with their superhuman skills.
There are real-life heroes who inspired a greater lot to go beyond limits and achieve greatness:
sports heroes like Michael Phelps
singing champions like Jessica Sanchez
They inspire little kids to dream big. Their talent and dedication show us the true beauty of our skills.
Then we have relative unknowns who, in extraodinary circumstances and excruciating seconds, manage to choose the selfless choice:
'Dark Knight' Shooting: 3 Boyfriends Die Shielding Girlfriends During Aurora Massacre (VIDEO, PHOTO)
The Huffington Post | By Ryan Grenoble Posted: 07/23/2012 1:11 pm Updated: 07/24/2012 4:56 pm
In the wake of Friday's devastating theater shooting in Aurora, Colo., President Obama remarked that it will be the "good people" -- the heroes who took action -- that remain in our memories long after James Holmes, the alleged gunman, has been forgotten.
And as stories from the darkened chaos begin to emerge, three among many share similar heroic stories: they all died shielding their girlfriends from bullets.
Jon Blunk had served in the Navy and was planning to re-enlist. On Friday, the 26-year-old took his girlfriend, Jansen Young, to see the "Dark Knight" -- when the assault began, Young says he saved her life. "Jon just took a bullet for me," Young said in an interview on "Today". "He knew and threw me on the ground, and was like, 'We have to get down and stay down.'"
While Holmes walked up and down the aisles shooting, Young says her boyfriend was a constant presence, pushing her further under the seats and out of the line of fire. Finally, as the shots slowed, she crawled out and attempted to pull up Blunk by the shoulder, but he didn't move.
"I guess I didn't really know he had passed, up until I started shaking him and saying, 'Jon, Jon, we have to go... It's time for us to get out of here,' '' she told the Denver Post.
Reached for comment by the NY Daily News, Young's mother described Blunk as "loving, the kind of guy you want your daughter to be with."
Fullscreen
1 of 7
Play All
Alex Teves And Amanda Lindgren
Advertisement
×
In another part of the theater, 27-year-old Matt McQuinn was also shielding his girlfriend, Samantha Yowler, 26. "When the gunman started shooting, Matt and [her brother] Nick … pulled Samantha to the ground and shielded her," Rob Scott, an attorney representing the McQuinn and Yowler families, told USA Today.
Samantha suffered a bullet wound to the leg and is recovering, reports the Dayton Daily News. McQuinn, putting himself in danger to save his girlfriend, died at the theater after having been hit three times. Nick Yowler, her brother, was uninjured.
“Both the Yowler and McQuinn families thank everyone for their concerns, thoughts and prayers during this difficult time,” Scott added in a statement to the local paper. “The families ask for everyone to be patient and respect their wishes during this very difficult time.”
Similarly, Alex Teves, 24, shielded his girlfriend Amanda Lindgren when the gunman unleashed a barrage of bullets. “He was gonna hit the floor himself, but he never made it,” his aunt, Barbara Slivinske, told the NY Daily News.
After the incident on Friday, an acquaintance, "Caitlin," remarked of Teves on twitter:
@dingos8myTARDIS
Caitlin
Alex Teves was one of the best men I ever knew. The world isn't as good a place without him.
July 21, 2012 3:45 am via Twitter for iPhone Reply Retweet Favorite
According to the Denver Post, Teves had earned a master's degree in counseling psychology from the University of Denver in June. Mary Gomez, an advisor to Teves at DU, said his "top priority was his relationships. His loyalty is admirable and he always put his friends first."
As Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper noted on "Meet The Press" Sunday, the terrible incident was marked by countless acts of heroism--indeed, "heroism isn't strong enough a word."
Those wishing to donate to victims and families of the Aurora movie theater shooting can do so via HuffPost Impact's list of ways to help.
Then, there are those who, just become the hero the people 'dream' them up to be. Minus the mask.
Christian Bale Visits Colorado Shooting Victims
July 24, 2012 8:10 PM
Christian Bale at the Medical Center of Aurora with staff from Swedish Medical Center (credit: Swedish Medical Center)
AURORA, Colo. (AP/CB4) - Batman star Christian Bale visited survivors of the Colorado theater shooting Tuesday and stopped by a community memorial to victims of the attack that killed 12 people and injured 58.
Bale visited with little advance warning and also stopped by a community memorial to victims near the movie theater that was showing “The Dark Knight Rises” when the gunfire erupted.
Wisconsin native Carey Rottman, one of the 58 people injured in Friday’s shooting, posted two photos of himself with Bale on his Facebook page.
Carey Rottman and Christian Bale (credit: Facebook)
Bale first visited the Medical Center of Aurora. A large group of people could be seen outside the hospital’s entrance.
Janie Bowman-Hayes, assistant vice president of surgical services at sister hospital Swedish Medical Center, said she and co-workers were attending a luncheon at The Medical Center of Aurora to thank staff who tended to victims. “When we got there, then we found out he was there,” she said.
PHOTO GALLERY: Christian Bale Visits Colorado Shooting Victims
Bale, humble and dressed casually in a black t-shirt and jeans, thanked the staff, shook hands and agreed to have his photo taken with employees, Bowman-Hayes said.
“He just said he wanted to come to thank all of us because he has been thinking about this. He knows the whole world has been thinking about this,” she said. “He took it upon himself to come and thank us.”
One of the nurses inside the Medical Center of Aurora said that her patient who was hit by a bullet so far has had very little to say. She told him about Bale’s possible visit and the patient immediately broke out in a huge smile.
After visiting The Medical Center of Aurora, Bale stopped by a community memorial to the victims near the movie theater. He walked among the 12 crosses erected for each of the slain victims, and many people there didn’t realize who he was or chose to leave him alone.
(credit: The Denver Post)
It’s also reported that Bale visited a fire station to meet some of the first responders.
A Warner Bros. spokeswoman told The Denver Post that Bale was representing himself, not the movie studio.
There’s been an online campaign urging Bale to visit the victims of the shooting, which also killed 12 people.
Bale, who stars as Batman in “The Dark Knight Rises,” previously issued a written statement saying: “Words cannot express the horror that I feel. I cannot begin to truly understand the pain and grief of the victims and their loved ones, but my heart goes out to them.”
Some of the survivors also have received hospital visits from President Barack Obama and members of the Denver Broncos.
Bowman-Hayes and her staff cared for patients at both Swedish Medical Center and The Medical Center of Aurora after the shootings, whether it was in the operating room or intensive care unit, or by washing medical instruments. She said the staff appreciated Bale’s visit.
“He did this out of his heart, and you could really tell. It was so sincere,” she said. “It was just, ‘thank you.’”
Don’t miss a special hour long report on CBS4 on Friday at 4 p.m. titled “Movie Theater Tragedy: Remember, Honor Support” which will look back at the week following the Aurora shootings.
(TM and © Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
But, honestly, we don't have to look to TV or newspapers to look for our heroes. Everyday, we encounter a person who was saved or can save someone. Everyday, we are inspired and we inspire someone.
THANK YOU for saving someone today. :)