Steamboat Springs — The day after the Aurora movie theater shooting in July 2012, a photo of the agonized face of Tom Sullivan, the father of one of the victims, graced the cover of many newspapers.

A journalist snapped the photo of Sullivan outside a high school in Aurora as he embraced family members who feared the worst about Sullivan’s son, Alex.

The family came to find out that Alex Sullivan was one of the 12 people killed and many injured by shooter James Holmes during a midnight showing of “The Dark Night Rises.”

“It can happen to anybody,” Tom Sullivan said Thursday. “It doesn’t go down party lines, or economic lines, or racial lines or religious lines. It affects us on a daily basis. We’re all vulnerable to it at any time and place.”

In the three years since the Aurora shooting, Sullivan has become an advocate for common sense approaches to stopping gun violence.

He will speak Monday at the Steamboat Grand Owner’s Lounge as part of an event hosted by Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America.

The event will include the display of some of 10 commemorative quilts created by the group to symbolize the toll of gun violence in the United States.

The quilts include meaningful fabric from victims of gun violence and from family affected by gun violence, the latter of which are considered survivors by Moms Demand Action.

“We talk about family members as survivors of gun violence,” said Laura Fronckiewicz, organizing manager for Colorado’s branch of the organization.

Fronckiewicz said the organization is pro-second amendment, but advocates for gun safety, primarily through background checks for gun purchases.

“We work toward common sense gun safety legislation,” she said. “We want to make sure we keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people.”

One of the quilts on display Monday evening will include fabric from a style of shirt that was owned by each member of the Sullivan family and fabric displaying superheroes, an interest of Alex Sullivan’s.

In addition to quilt squares created for victims, other quilt squares are created by organization supporters who share in the sadness of gun violence and support the survivors.

Sullivan said the event is a good way to learn more about the broad impacts of gun violence.

“The quilts show how others have the ability to embrace and support those who have been directly affected,” he said. “They’re very moving quilts to see. “

For more information about gun safety and safe storage, see besmartforkids.org. For more information about the quilts, see mothersdreamquilt.org.

To reach Teresa Ristow, call 970-871-4206, email tristow@SteamboatToday.com or follow her on Twitter @TeresaRistow