Life
Widow ends up finding love with kind cop who responded to fiancé’s death nearly a decade before
Something beautiful emerged from tragedy.
D.G. Sciortino
09.23.22

While the beginning of Lasamoa Cross and Cody Lanier’s union came out of tragic circumstances, it turned into a beautiful outcome: their marriage.

Lanier was one of the officers who responded to the scene of the 2012 shooting at an Aurora, Colorado movie theater that left Cross’ fiancé A.J. Boik dead along with 11 others.

Cross and Boik were watching a screening of “The Dark Knight Rises” when all hell broke loose.

“I could see this black silhouette of a guy standing there and I could see a gun strapped,” she told 9News. “I turn around and look and there were people just jumping out of the rows to get out of the theater. It was insane.”

Boik, who was 18 at the time, grabbed her hand and tried to exit the theater.

Unfortunately, he was shot twice and died from his wounds.

“I think that is what is hard, too. I didn’t even get to say bye, you know,” she said.

To cope with her trauma, Cross started to journal and went on to write thank you letters to all the police officers who were on the scene that night.

She also learned during the trial of the shooter that some of the police officers experienced the same trauma as she had.

Lanier was one of the officers who responded. Cross later realized that Lanier was her high school’s resource officer and also tried to help her find AJ the night of the shooting.

“I have always thought of you as a headstrong determined and courageous person for having the amount of strive to serve and protect Gateway, Aurora and your family. Every single day,” Cross’ letter read. “And that alone has changed my life altogether.”

Lanier admits tearing up while reading her letter.

She later tried to friend request him on social media and take him out to lunch as a thank you.

“I felt that as much as others would take me out on lunch dates that I could return the favor to someone else,” Cross said. I made the attempt and Cody flaked on me three different times!”

Cross knew that meeting with him would probably be an emotional ordeal for Lanier so she didn’t push the issues.

Eventually, they met and had lunch at a local Chipotle.

What was supposed to be a one-hour lunch turned into a four-hour lunch and in-depth conversation. Nine years later, they were married.

“From that day on, we’ve been each other’s go-to person, pain in the ass, and each other’s best friend,” Cross said.

“In a way, La kind of filled this gap,” Lanier said. “Beyond that, it was just this connection. Every day since she turned into my best friend.”

The couple served Chipotle at their wedding rehearsal and were married in October 2021.

“Beauty from ashes, man. I don’t know what I would do without her,” Lanier said.

Learn more about the couple’s happy ending in the video below.

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