7/20 Memorial Garden officially dedicated to victims of Aurora theater shooting

AURORA | The sculpture has been in place for more than two weeks. It has held watch over a beer festival and a candlelight vigil. But on Friday night, in front of the entire community that had developed in the aftermath of that violent act in 2012, the work to create a lasting memory to all the victims of the theater shooting finally felt complete. The dedication of the 7/20 Memorial Garden and the massive sculpture “Ascentiate” that’s spread throughout the area drew hundreds of people, including current and former leaders of Aurora’s emergency services, law enforcement and city government. Also in attendance as a sign of support were members of multiple communities that had been subjected to mass shootings, including San Bernardino, California, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Virginia Tech University and Columbine High School. “Our board has always had in mind that we wanted this memorial to be a place where others can come to heal, and others who have experienced tragedy like ours would feel peace, hope and strength,” said Heather Dearman, vice chair of the 7/20 Memorial Foundation board, during the event. The evening’s long list of speakers followed what happened in the hours, days, weeks and months that followed the shooting. First responders, prosecutors and victim advocates spoke emotionally about their experiences and the lasting impact the shooting had on their lives. “We’re all victims. The entire community was victimized. But one small set of that community was our law enforcement folks. To this day I’m so extraordinarily proud (of the actions of police officers),” said former Aurora Police Chief Daniel Oates, currently Chief of Police in Miami Beach. “As melancholy as it is tonight, there’s a lot of smiles, a lot of laughs and a lot of hugs. Friendships that came out of this tragedy and a special warmth … It means so much to be here with them to show support.” A large focus of the night’s event was praising the work of victim advocates and those who worked tirelessly to support survivors and the families of the victims. Former Deputy District Attorney Lisa Teesch-Maguire, now a judge in Arapahoe County, was praised by many people for her work as a victims advocate throughout the trail. “I know it is bittersweet also as we remember all those lives that were lost that day. But I choose to celebrate this as a day to honor all of your strength and compassion and integrity, and everything that you do to inspire me to live a better life everyday,” Teesch-Maguire said. “I desperately wish I knew the 12 people who lost their lives and who were murdered in this horrible tragedy. Because I came to know them through the amazing family members that I love so deeply.”

An artist’s work for the community

The highlight of the dedication was the official recognition of “Ascentiate” by artist Douwe Blumberg, who was in attendance. Blumberg received a standing ovation as he went to speak about his piece and the inspiration he drew from his time with members of the memorial garden foundation. “Words don’t sometime have the ability to capture a moment, and as an artists, to be able to use your gift to somehow speak into something like this, to somehow in some small way help impact people’s lives in a positive way is a home run. That’s what keeps me going,” Blumberg said after the event. “To see it truly impact people is a beautiful thing.” Blumberg has created work to recognize sacrifice and tragedy before, including “America’s Response Monument,” the statue that sits near Ground Zero in New York City as a tribute to United States Special Forces. “This type of thing has an emotional depth that’s in a league of its own. I have a piece overlooking Ground Zero. I have done some pieces in some ways are similar,” Blumberg said. “Probably this one more than all of them grows you as an artist and grows you as a human being. I learned that I had to come here with a  creative blank slate. I wasn’t going to come and tell them what Douwe Blumberg was going to place here. I wasn’t going to push an idea that was already floating in my head onto them. I wanted to come and show them the respect to come with open hands and truly hear them. And then let those stories, those tears, those quivering voices and the site inform what grew up here.”