Aurora's Day of Resilience honors theater shooting victims while supporting long-term healing

Khloey Pace and Peyton Soltis are the young faces behind Veronica's Lemonade Stand at Aurora's Day of Resilience, where every cup served honors the memory of 6-year-old Veronica Moser-Sullivan, the youngest victim of the 2012 Aurora theater shooting.

For Khloey, the stand is about more than raising money or cooling off on a summer day.

"I wish I got to meet her and hang out with her because I feel like she would have been a great cousin," Khloey said.

Although Khloey was born a year after Veronica died, she has grown up hearing stories about her cousin's kindness.

"They told me she was very kind, sweet, active with other people, always wanted to have fun, and loved her family," she said.

The lemonade stand was part of the 11th annual Day of Resilience, held Saturday morning at the Aurora Municipal Center. The event honors Veronica and the 11 other victims of the theater shooting while providing a space for survivors, families and the community to come together in healing.

"We want survivors to know they're supported and not forgotten, but also to show how strong our community is," said Heather Dearman, CEO of the 7/20 Memorial Foundation.

The annual event featured a 5K, wellness fair, chalk walk, live music and family-friendly activities, all designed to encourage connection and support for those still impacted by the tragedy.

Dearman said the foundation continues to emphasize that healing after a mass tragedy is a long-term journey.

"The media's there when it happens, and then after time goes away, they're gone," Dearman said. "But you're here covering it, so we're keeping it in front of people's minds. People need to know there are still people affected by that who are still struggling, not only in Aurora, but in other communities."

She said the Day of Resilience serves as a reminder that recovery doesn't end after the headlines fade.

"To bring awareness to the long-term healing after a mass tragedy, there's always someone who needs a hug or support," Dearman said.

As families remembered loved ones and neighbors gathered in support, organizers said the event is ultimately about honoring the lives of those lost while helping those left behind continue to heal.

Peyton said the event is "less to mourn their death, but to celebrate the lives that they lived and the impact they made on the world."