Bertram musician working on tribute after cousins survive Colorado theater rampage
MARBLE FALLS — A local songwriter is creating a tribute video after his two cousins survived a gunman’s carnage-fueled rampage July 20 at a packed movie theater in Aurora, Colo.
Musician Rick Bussey of Bertram wants to honor in song three men who gave their lives — including his cousin’s boyfriend — to save others during the mass shooting.
“It’s gut-wrenching when something like this happens,” Bussey said July 22.
James Holmes, 24, who made his first formal court appearance in Centennial, Colo., July 22, during an arraignment, has been arrested in the shootings that killed 12 and wounded 58.
Meanwhile, Bussey’s cousins Samantha Yowler and her brother Nick were in the theater during a midnight showing of a Batman movie, “The Dark Knight Rises,” when a gunman clad in body armor walked into the cinema, lobbed tear gas cans and opened fire.
Police said the assailant was armed with an assault rifle, a shotgun and handguns.
Among the 12 who lost their lives was Samantha Yowler’s 27-year-old boyfriend Matt McQuinn, who dived in front of her, Bussey said. According to reports, his actions shielded her from the gunfire.
Nick Yowler, who also shielded his sister from the attack, didn’t suffer any injuries, according to reports.
Samantha Yowler was shot in the leg and is still hospitalized.
“I feel sad for Matt, but all of us are so proud of him,” Bussey said.
Bussey grew up with the siblings’ mother Ann Massie in Ohio.
“I’ve been sending messages to their mother, but so far I haven’t heard from her. But with everything that’s going on, I don’t expect to hear from her for a couple of days or weeks,” he added.
Bussey wasn’t aware he knew anybody in the shooting until he checked his Facebook page later July 20.
“I saw a little blurb about the shooting,” he said. “I started texting back and forth with family members and learned (Samantha and Nick) were in the theater and she’d been injured.”
Nick Yowler called his mother several hours after the shooting to tell her what had happened. Bussey said Massie soon left for Colorado and remains there.
Because Samantha and McQuinn were dating and not related, privacy laws barred officials from telling her about his condition. Bussey said it wasn’t until late July 20 she learned her boyfriend had died.
“I can’t imagine the agony she was going through — not knowing what had happened to Matt,” he said.
While Bussey watched a news report of the shooting, the story centered on three individuals who put themselves between the shooter and theater-goers. All three died, but saved other people, Bussey said.
Their actions reminded the musician of a song he and a friend wrote last year, “Fly Me Home.”
“The song starts with a line about three crosses, three days and three eagles in the sky,” Bussey said. “For me, it just symbolized those three men who gave their lives for others. My goal is to get it recorded, make a video of it, post it and make sure it’s for the people affected in this tragedy.”
Though the story focused on the three men — including McQuinn — Bussey said he sees all the innocent people in the theater as heroes.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.