Stories of heroism, zest for life, a birthday celebration that turned tragic have unfolded as family and friends recall loved ones killed in Friday's mass shooting at a Colorado movie theater.

Also emerging was the story of Hugo, who was born Tuesday.

Almost all of the 12 victims were young -- including a 6-year-old girl who had just learned to swim.

The cause of death in all cases is related to gunshot wounds, according to the Arapahoe County Coroner's Office.

Jonathan T. Blunk, 26

Blunk served for five years in the U.S. Navy. He had been planning to fly Saturday to Reno, Nevada, to see his wife, Chantel, his 4-year-old daughter and his 2-year-old son.

"We were going to have a family day," Chantel Blunk said.

Instead, she put away the dress her daughter had picked out to wear to the airport. "I tried to tell her we wouldn't see Daddy anymore, but that he would still love us and look over us."

The couple married in 2007 and separated in 2010, she said. They remained on good terms after Jonathan moved to Colorado. Blunk died shielding his girlfriend from the gunfire inside the theater.

Chantel Blunk said she wants her husband to have a military funeral. She said she will remember Jonathan's humor, spontaneity and attention to family. "We love him and he is going to be remembered as a hero," she said.

Alexander J. Boik, 18

A Facebook page was created in memory of Boik, a Gateway High School student who was at the theater with his girlfriend and a friend.

"AJ was an awesome kid and a truly Inspirational teammate," one Facebook entry said. "You cant find someone with a brighter smile and more positive outlook on life. There to help you up when your down and One to carry on life with such an intelligence."

Boik was an independent distributor for Organo Gold, a coffee company, and lived in Aurora, according to what appears to be his personal Facebook page.

James Crofter, father of Jordan Crofter, Boik's friend who survived the shooting, said Jordan and Boik played lacrosse together. Boik's girlfriend also was in the theater. She and Jordan found each other outside the theater, but Boik did not make it out.

Air Force Staff Sgt. Jesse E. Childress, 29

Childress, an Air Force reservist, was a cybersystems operator on active duty with the 310th Force Support Squadron at Buckley Air Force Base in Colorado. He was from Thornton, Colorado.

"Jesse was an invaluable part of the 310th family," said Lt. Col. Pat Walsh, who was Childress' supervisor, according to The Washington Post. "He literally touched everyone in the wing -- over 1,000 people."

Three of Childress' Air Force colleagues traveled from Buckley to honor him at a memorial near the theater, The Denver Post reported.

"He was a huge part of our unit, and this is a terrible loss. The person that did this was an incredible coward," said Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Schwald, according to the Denver newspaper. She declined to give her first name.

Gordon W. Cowden, 51

Cowden took his two teenage children to the theater. His children escaped unharmed, according to California's Ventura County Star.

A family spokesman described Cowden as a "loving father, outdoorsman and small-business owner," according to the Star.

"Cowden was a true Texas gentleman that loved life and his family. A quick-witted world traveler with a keen sense of humor, he will be remembered for his devotion to his children and for always trying his best to do the right thing, no matter the obstacle."

Jessica Ghawi, 24

Aspiring sports reporter Ghawi narrowly avoided a shooting in Toronto just last month -- an incident that prompted her to reflect on life on her blog.

The Toronto shooting at the Eaton Centre left one person dead and seven wounded.

"I was shown how fragile life was on Saturday. I saw the terror on bystanders' faces. I saw the victims of a senseless crime. I saw lives change," she wrote at the time. "I was reminded that we don't know when or where our time on Earth will end. When or where we will breathe our last breath."

Ghawi, who also went by the name Jessica Redfield, grew up in Texas and interned at Ticket 760, a sports radio station in San Antonio, before moving to Denver to try to break into the television market there.

A memorial service is scheduled for July 28 in San Antonio.