CHICAGO (FOX 32 News) -
FIRST ON FOX: Crystal Lake native John Larimer was among the 12 killed by a gunman at a Colorado screening of the new Batman movie last Friday.
The 27-year-old U.S. Navy sailor's girlfriend said Larimer died shielding her from gunfire in the Aurora movie theater.
Julia Vojtsek told FOX Chicago News in an exclusive interview, that she and Larimer's family are coping the best way they can, by staying close to family and taking the loss one day at a time.
She said she was in the Denver suburbs because her father was working in Colorado. She remembers her last day with Larimer fondly.
Vojtsek said they spent the whole day together, watching movies in Larimer's room, excited to see the movie on their date Friday night.
When they found out people were dressing up for the screening, they went to a local Walmart to pick out some fun costumes. Larimer was a big fan of the movies. They arrived at the theater around 9 p.m., to get in line early and get good seats for the movie.
While recounting the actual shooting, Vojtsek teared up, describing how Larimer saved her. She said she would not be alive today if not for him.
"Once the bullets started, the gunfire an the gas, he just ducked over and held my head tight and put his body in front of mine," she said. "In the process of doing so, he got shot."
Vojtsek said she stayed down as long as she could, until they saw an opportunity to get up and run.
"[I] tried to get John but he was unresponsive and couldn't - he - was gone," she said. "We had to leave."
Vojtsek told FOX Chicago that Larimer recently told her why he joined the U.S. Navy, "to save lives, and protect America."
"I think he would be happy, by the way it ended up going down," she said. "He was the best person. Always put himself before others… selfless."
Larimer was stationed at the Buckley Air Force Base just a few miles from the theater where he was killed.
When asked if she had any comment about the suspected shooter, James Holmes, Vojtsek said she had nothing to say.
"I don't know how much there could be so much evil," she said.
The parents of John Larimer released a statement Friday that Navy officials notified them about midnight that their son had been fatally shot.
The family said that Larimer's brother Noel is working with the Navy to bring his body back home to Crystal Lake.
The Navy said another sailor was treated and released for injuries sustained at the theater. Both were from a unit that belongs to U.S. Fleet Cyber Command/U.S. Tenth Fleet at Buckley Air Force Base.
"Right now, my wife is beside herself," Scott Larimer said. "We are more than frantic."
Neighbors offered their sympathies Friday night.
"Right now, all I can think is that our prayers and blessings are with the family," neighbor Jen Cianciarulo said.
"We think of our quiet little street here, and to see all the news cameras out -- it hits home," Joe Finze said.
Larimer was graduated from Crystal Lake South High School and was stationed in Aurora.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Julia Vojtsek.
