Theater shooting victim's wife gives birth in car
DENVER — Marcus Weaver has been through a lot. But he never lost hope.
Weaver was hit twice in the arm during the mass shooting at an Aurora movie theater in 2012. He became one of the first survivors to publicly forgive James Holmes, the man now on trial for the deadly attack.
Holmes has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to killing 12 people and injuring 63 in the July 2012 shooting at Aurora's Century 16 theater, which was packed with moviegoers watching a midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises.
In December, Weaver wrote in a statement, "No one is going to be smiling and happy … during this trial, but my hope is that it will began closure for the many victims, families and survivors still hurting."
On Sunday, Weaver embraced a new form of hope. Her name is Magdelyn Hope Weaver. She's 6.9 pounds and 19 inches long.
And she came into this world as Weaver raced his wife, Megan Sharp Weaver, to the hospital Sunday. Yes, on Father's Day.
Megan went into labor suddenly, and as Marcus was driving her from the couple's home in Aurora to Rose Medical Center, she gave birth in the car, just as they passed the Interstate 25 and Interstate 225 interchange.
"He was going as quick as he could on the highway there, and I tried to hold her in and couldn't," Megan said.
The new father at first thought he should pull over, but both parents saw the baby was fine, so they continued to the hospital.
"My mom almost didn't make it to the hospital with me. It was pretty quick with my son. But I'd never thought it would be that quick," Megan said.
And now, "this is just a symbol of new life and new hope through all things," Megan said.