Jack Reginald Beaton Jr., 54, of Bakersfield, California, was celebrating his 23rd wedding anniversary with his wife Laurie at the Route 91 Harvest music festival in Las Vegas on the evening of October 1, 2017. As automatic gunfire erupted from a Mandalay Bay hotel window high above, Beaton shielded his wife with his body, told her he loved her, and became unresponsive in her arms. The coroner later informed Laurie that he was among the deceased.

The gunman, identified as 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, fired from the 32nd floor, unleashing over a thousand rounds at concertgoers. Law enforcement found Paddock dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound when they breached his room. Investigators concluded Paddock acted alone; no one else was arrested. A clear motive was never officially determined, though investigators noted his declining mental and physical health and a possible desire for infamy.

If anyone knew Jack or his wife, or witnessed their actions that night, please share what you can to help remember him.