Aurora Man Pays For Movies For Strangers

For the people of Aurora, CO, and many around the country as well, the theatre has become a place of fear or, at the very least, some measure of concern after the brutal killing spree that left 12 dead and many more wounded. One Aurora man is doing something about that however. Jason Cole, a teacher and father, decided that the actions of one madman should not keep people living in fear. He worked with friends and family to raise money, enough for 1300 movie tickets, and then gave them all away to the people of Aurora.

On August 11th, Jason and his friends stood outside of a few theatres in Aurora and passed out the free tickets to those standing in line. The reactions ranged from cynasism to intense gratitude but Jason knows they made a difference that day. One woman who had been scared to go to the movies after the shootings, this act of kindness gave her the bravery to try again while being bolstered by the kindness of those around her. A mother brought her teenage son and and his friends to the Arapahoe Crossing theater in Aurora to hand out tickets in memory of their friends who were killed in the shootings on July 20. For them, it was a chance to heal and they told their story to those who recieved tickets. Tears were shed and hearts healed for the loss.

One family responded with cynisism at first, a discomfort at the idea of some company trying to do a promotion at the theatre but once Jason and his friend explained that the tickets were just for the sake of kindness, frowns turned to genuine smiles. Thanks to the bravery, kindness, and thoughtfulness of Jason and his friends, the people of Aurora were able to share joy and love in the face of tragedy.

"You can choose the light or the dark, and you change the world with each choice you make. I said that, in a world where one person can traumatize an entire region with his actions, it's up to the rest of us to choose the light." - Jason Cole