CENTENNIAL, Colo. — To commemorate 12 years since the Aurora theater shooting, a survivor of the shooting that killed 12 people held a concert at his church in Centennial with proceeds benefiting a local school.
Jordan Murphy said he has used music to heal, and his focus is now on giving back to the community through his music.
"I think some of the darkest moments in my life are where I wrote a lot of these songs," Murphy said.
Murphy was just 18 years old when the mass shooting took place on July 20, 2012.
"After the theater, I was like, okay, with the second chance at life, like what can I do with it?" he said. "Honor the lives of people with aspirations whose life was cut short, and honor their family's legacy, and give back and help people in these songs. They provide hope, and they've provided hope to a lot of people. And that's all I care about."
The concert was held at the Southside Bible Church, where Murphy played with his band 828 Music Ministry. He performed a song he wrote called 'Rescue,' which he said was about his battle with PTSD.
"I didn't handle PTSD correctly, I didn't get the right help I needed, and over the span of years, it started to hit me," he said. "I just kind of hit a rock bottom point and 'Rescue' is like my song of God coming and rescuing me in that lowest point of my life."
Murphy said they filmed the song's music video at the 7/20 memorial.
Murphy said the lyrics carried an even heavier weight at Saturday's concert.
The benefits from this commemoration concert will be donated to Southside Classical Academy, a new homeschool academic program in Centennial.
Jordan, who is using the very thing that helped him heal, says he now aims to help others.
As much as music has been his source of healing, Murphy says it's just as much a reflection of his journey.
"It's kind of like these songs are a marking of triumph for all that I've kind of overcome and the obstacles in my life," he said.