Everyone is talking about the Colorado man who killed 12 people and injured 58 others at a theater showing the new Batman movie last week. But that’s not the real story.

The focus should be on the heroes in the audience who, in several cases, protected people near them and in doing so sacrificed their own life.

Matthew McQuinn gave up his life to shield his girlfriend from the attack.

Jonathan Blunk, 26, a father of two, also died while saving his girlfriend.

The girlfriends of McQuinn and Blunk said neither man hesitated to protect them.

People often wonder what they would do if faced with such a choice. Fortunately, that rarely happens. But that night in a Colorado movie theater, hundreds of people made that decision.

Some dove under seats and then helped people crawl to safety during the massacre. Others worked to lead people to exits and safety.

The criminal case against the shooter, James Holmes, likely will go on for several years. But let’s never forget the day it happened – and the individuals who gave so much so that others could live.

Remember those who died in the shooting:

Jessica Ghawi, 24; aspiring sports journalist

Veronica Moser-Sullivan, 6

Matthew McQuinn, 27; technical-support provider

Alex Sullivan, 27; bartender at a Red Robin restaurant

Micayla Medek, 23.

John Larimer, 27; Navy cryptologist

Jesse Childress, 29; Air Force cybersystems operator

Gordon W. Cowden, 51.

Jonathan Blunk, 26; worked at a hardware store

Rebecca Ann Wingo, 32; customer-relations rep

Alexander Teves, 24

Alexander Boik, 18

– Craig Groshart,

Bellevue Reporter