Local Perspective: Aurora Shootings Bring Community Together

By Amanda Devine, Voxxi

Colorado has been hit with an act of violence that will be remembered for years to come. The City of Aurora, affectionately called “Saudi Aurora” by many locals thanks to its diversity, experienced a tragedy that has greater impact than the lives that were lost. The Aurora shootings have brought the community together once again.

I live a mile from the Century 16 movie theater where this massacre took place. I’ve lived in or around this community since I was 10 years old and have visited this theater countless times. This is my home. And I’m heartbroken.

An intern from my husband’s radio station was killed. A friend of a friend is in critical condition. Other than that, we just don’t know… nobody knows…

We’re all doing the best we can to reach out and support each other as information is released and we find each other safe and sound. First thing this morning, we called our parents and siblings to let them know we were safe. As the day goes on, friends from high school and family from out-of-state reach out on Facebook to confirm that we’re all okay. And we are, we’re all okay.

Colorado has experienced significant tragedy over the last couple of months. Devastating fires have destroyed homes, churches, and lives as they spread across the state. With that crisis, and with support from around the country, Coloradoans came together to help each other with everything from housing to prayer. Now, once again, we band together and unite as a community.

The mall is closed, the airforce base (across the street from my home) has flyovers going as news of military personnel being injured and perhaps killed breaks, the streets are quiet. We cannot begin to thank the Aurora Police Department enough.

I’ve written before about our police force and how amiable they are. I can also tell you about the time I was speeding down the street (coincidentally, right in front of the Century 16 Theater) and a police officer pulled up next to me, asking me to please slow down, or the time I fell asleep at the wheel (also, right in front of the neighboring Aurora Mall) and drove into a pick-up truck and the police officer drove me to a gas station down the street and waited with me (at 2 o’clock in the morning) while I waited for my father to pick me up.

As a person who has lived here for most of my life, it’s hard to not recall the tragedy at Columbine High School, my sophomore year. Then as well, it took what seemed like forever to know who had been killed, injured, and released. Then as well, adults and children reached out to help and support each other in time of emergency. Then as well, we hugged our families and thanked God to be alive, safe and sound.

I’m thankful to live here, in a state with such support from its citizens, police force, and mother nation. I feel the love as we go through the motions of our day, with our community on our minds, and I am so grateful.

This article was first published in Voxxi.

Amanda Devine is a mom, a wife, a college graduate, a certified yoga instructor, and a counselor. She blogs about life´s challenges at motherofambition.blogspot.com. Based in Colorado, Amanda enjoys spending time with her family, cooking healthy food, and advocating for natural parenting. @momofambition