Many locals will always remember where they were at the time of the movie theater massacre on July 20, but Lindsey Revier will always remember where she was not.

Revier was supposed to be at the midnight showing of “The Dark Knight Rises,” in theater nine, where a friend of hers was killed.

Instead, she was summoned away by another friend in Broomfield who was going through a personal crisis.

“Come to find out, it was a blessing in disguise,” said Revier.

She was one of about 10,000 people who attended an Aurora prayer vigil on July 22 at the Aurora Municipal Center for the victims of the Century 16 Aurora theater shootings that left 12 people dead and 58 wounded.

The event was therapeutic for her.

“It’s so fulfilling to see so many other people who are not only here to rejoice but they’re here because their hearts are aching, too,” she said.

Religious leaders and lawmakers came to the vigil to speak to a crowd that included victims and victims’ families. The speakers refused to say the alleged shooter’s name as they talked about the importance of healing and honoring the memories of those killed in the massacre.

“It’s not this senseless act of violence that makes us a community,” Aurora Mayor Steve Hogan told the crowd. “It’s the lives and acts of our heroes, and numerous acts of kindness and care for our neighbors that defines who we are.”

Hogan said hearts might be broken, but the community itself is not.

“We will take this experience and use it to strengthen our commitment to each other,” he said. “We will reclaim our city in the name of goodness, kindness and compassion.”

Gov. John Hickenlooper spoke about survivors that he met, who in some cases endangered their lives to save others. Hickenlooper then paid tribute to those who sacrificed their lives to save others during the shooting.

He said July 20 should be a day to remember the victims, not the act of violence.

“To the victims’ families, we are more sorry than words can express,” Hickenlooper said. “We, like you, struggle to find meaning in an act that defies any type of understanding.”

Aurora Congressmen Mike Coffman and Ed Perlmutter, several area mayors, and U.S. Sens. Mark Udall and Michael Bennet also attended the event.

People came to the vigil in legions. Many of them wore bright shirts and ribbons, and carried brightly-colored balloons. They filled every crevice of the Great Lawn in front of the city building, spilling over to nearby parking lots and sidewalks.

Many people said they came to stand with their neighbors even though they didn’t know anyone involved in the shootings.

“I came here to feel the unity of the people here at this vigil, and support for the victims and their families,” said Aurora resident Dave Mathews.

Quiera Smith, who lives in Englewood, said she came to pay tribute to the victims’ lives, rather than their deaths.

She said she was still shaken by the massacre.

“I think it’s horrible that we can’t feel safe even going to the movies and we can’t take our children to the movies to enjoy the cinema because now we have to worry about something like this happening,” she said.

Her 12-year-old daughter, Christiana, said she was sad.

“You shouldn’t have to feel like you’re going to have to walk into sort of a war zone just to go to the movie theater,” she said.

But Smith said it’s important that people start the healing process.

“I don’t want this to stop anybody’s lives because I think every time something like this happens people put their lives on hold,” she said. “I don’t think we should do that anymore because we never know when it could be our last day.”

Reach reporter Sara Castellanos at 720-449-9036 or sara@aurorasentinel.com.