(Twitter photo)
SAN ANTONIO (July 28, 2012)—Mourners celebrated the life of aspiring sportscaster Jessica Ghawi, 24, Saturday in San Antonio.
Ghawi was one of the 12 people killed when a gunman opened fire in a crowded theater on July 20 in Aurora, Colo.
In December 2011, she moved to Denver where she interned at the local Fox TV affiliate and then went to work as an intern at Denver radio station WFAN, where she primarily covered hockey.
She blogged under the name of Jessica Redfield and was also involved in an effort to raise money to buy sporting goods items for the victims of Colorado’s wildfires.
On June 2 she was in Toronto’s Eaton Center mall when a gunman opened fire, leaving two dead and several others wounded.
She later wrote about the experience on her blog.
Ghawi was a San Antonio native and a graduate of the University of Texas at San Antonio.
She went to the midnight showing of the new Batman movie with a hometown friend, Brent Lowak, 27, of the San Antonio suburb of Bulverde, who was wounded in the shooting.
She was tweeting in the theater before the movie started.
Three memorial funds have been created to support the Jessica Redfield Ghawi Foundation, which her family is establishing to support her efforts on behalf of fire victims in Colorado and a charity with which she was involved that helps children who are fighting cancer.
The family also plans to establish scholarships for women who want careers in sports broadcasting.
Contributions may be made online.
Also Saturday, more than 200 people gathered in western Ohio to mourn another of the victims of the deadly shooting spree.
Matt McQuinn had moved to Colorado from Ohio last fall with his girlfriend, Samantha Yowler.
He saved Yowler’s life during the shootings by diving in front of her.
He was shot three times.
Among the pallbearers at his funeral Saturday in his hometown of Springfield was Yowler's brother, Nick, who also shielded his sister during the attack.
The accused gunman, James Holmes, 24, remains in custody.
He’s due back in court Monday when formal charges should be filed.
