A Young Man's Life Ended On His Birthday!

Alex Sullivan was celebrating his 27th birthday when James Holmes took his life. At the prime of his life, this young man was going to celebrate his first year anniversary with his wife Cassandra. The Aurora shootings cost 12 lives and injured over 60 people. This is one of the most deadliest mass shootings in history.

This tragedy in Aurora, Colorado has cost 12 people their lives. We at Journal de la Reyna will continue to talk about this tragedy and share a few stories of heroism and paid homage to the lives of those lost on that day.

James Holmes, the 24 year old former medical student opened fired on moviegoers at the premiere of The Dark Knight Rises. He took the lives of men, women and one young girl. Some of the people were inspiring to pursue higher achievements. Some were thinking of marriage and children. Some celebrate events like anniversaries and birthdays. Others wanted to have an opportunity to see a movie that was slated to be a blockbuster.

President Barack Obama will make a trip out to Colorado to talk to the governor and the victims of Friday's mass shooting. Republican candidate Mitt Romney and the president suspended their campaigns in Colorado for now! They want to focus on the heeling process. President Barack Obama ordered all federal buildings to lower their American flags at half stance. Democratic governor John Hickenlooper has expressed outrage at the shooter. As a father of child, he took this incident very personal. He vows to put Holmes in a place where the sun doesn't shine.

Today, we talk about the young man who was going to celebrate his birthday and first year anniversary.

Alex Sullivan, was 27 at the time of death. His birthday.

Alex and a few of his co-workers (friends) were going to watch the blockbuster movie when the unthinkable happened.

He was employed at Red Robin, a national restaurant chain. Among his death, some of his co-workers were injured in the mass shooting.

Alex's birthday was on July 20. His anniversary on July 22. His wife Cassandra was out of town when the tragedy happened.

According to the Denver Post, he wrote on his Facebook page: "Just took the wife to DIA (Denver International Airport) going to be gone for 3 and a half weeks going to miss her a lot. I love you cassie."


While attending the movie, Alex posted: Alex Sullivan posted on his Facebook page: "#TheDarkKnightRises OMG COUNTING down till it start cant wait going to be the best birthday ever."

The famous picture of Alex Sullivan's father Tom showing the media who his son was and how they can inform him.

The morning of the shooting, Alex Sullivan's father, Tom, showed his picture around and asked if anybody had seen his son, an image that reminded some of 9/11 and grieving people amid that tragedy.

Friends on Saturday talked about the big-hearted, good-humored guy they knew.

Tom Sullivan has become the icon of the mass shooting. The grieving parent who was urging the public to find his son!

This tragedy has shifted the political debate to gun control. Many Americans are now calling for tougher regulations on purchasing ammunition. The National Rifle Association and the Republican Party are opposing any restrictions on firearms.


                 

In the wake of this tragedy, Alex's death as well as many others were innocent victims. For a callous person who had no life ahead of himself. Why on earth should James Holmes ever be allow to own that many firearms and ammunition?

We'll never know this answer.

Courtesy of The Denver Post