For more than a month, a memorial to the victims of the Waukesha Christmas Parade tragedy has stood in Veterans Park. And now, volunteers are putting on each teddy bear, wreath, and candle to preserve what they can for the permanent commission to come in a few months.
Waukesha Mayor Sean Reilly said during a ceremony on Wednesday, “As a community, we are united in our aim to help those in their grief and in trauma.” “We have shown that we will not let the evil of tragedy be how to define us, but to show that we are defined by our compassion and our unity.”
Six crosses stand in the center, each dedicated to the lives lost in the parade. On Wednesday morning, the process began moving souvenirs out of the harsh winter elements and into the hands of the Waukesha County Historical Society and Museum, as community members grapple with the loss.
“It was just awful,” said residents Mary Jane Sanchez. “A lot of people in our community saw and, you know, were impressed by the parade. And this memorial really worked to heal people and give people a place to grieve and come together.”
tmj4
Rylor the pudliner was marching in the parade with his classmates in the Waukesha South High School band when he was killed. While Pudliner says he has a long road to recovery ahead of him, he knew he had to come to the finale and return to the parade next year to thank everyone for their support.
“I think it would just be battling with the mental side of things and things like that,” Pudliner said. “But at the same time, I want to be there to support everyone and, you know, my friends and not let him or anyone else stop us. You know, the community shouldn’t be stopped because of this.”
tmj4
In that spirit, Mayor Reilly recently announced the creation of a Waukesha Christmas Parade Permanent Memorial Commission, which he says works with city and community leaders to figure out the best place to honor the victims. Designed to operate as a partnership.
“We are united as a community to continue to support those who experienced the worst of that day on November 21 and we will continue to recover and heal,” Reilly said.
Now, the decision of the Permanent Commission goes to the Waukesha Common Council. And while Mayor Reilly says a permanent decision could be in place at any time, the target would be before the one-year anniversary of the tragedy.
,