This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
AURORA, Colo. • Former Utahn Jansen Young says her friend, Jonathan Blunk, died while saving her life amid the shooting rampage at the midnight showing of "The Dark Knight Rises."
Young is a 21-year-old former Farmington resident and a graduate of Davis High School who now lives in Denver, according to her Facebook page.
She told the NBC "Today" show that Blunk threw himself in front of her and told her to stay down.
Blunk had high hopes for the future, with plans to re-enlist in the Navy and the goal of becoming a Navy SEAL.
The 26-year-old served three tours in the Persian Gulf and North Arabian Sea between 2004 and 2009, said close friend James Gill of Brighton, Colo.
"It was guts or glory for him," Gill told The Associated Press. "It always surprised me that he didn't serve in a situation more on the front line. He wanted to be a first responder on the front line."
Blunk was also a certified firefighter and emergency medical technician, Gill added.