Waukesha Christmas parade tragedy, mayor reflects
WAUKESHA, Wis. - Waukesha’s mayor is stressing healing in the wake of the Christmas parade tragedy on Sunday, Nov. 31. On Tuesday morning, Mayor Shawn Reilly drove the parade route for the first time since Sunday, heartbroken.
Still shaken by Sunday's tragedy, Carolyn Granec combed through a haunting sight Tuesday looking for her children’s wagon. Items like mugs, blankets and dozens of folding chairs collected from the parade route were taken to a central location – waiting to be reclaimed.
"Everyone started screaming – running towards us," said Granec. "Empty chairs sitting there. It was kind of what was left that day – everything empty and deserted, people running for their lives."
It’s also a moment for Granec to reexamine the heartbreak of that day. Waukesha’s mayor hopes the coming weeks and months will bring healing.
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"This is going to be in the minds of the citizens of Waukesha for a long period of time," said Reilly. "Life will get back to normal for many people. It won’t get back to normal for those who lost loved ones or have been injured."
Reilly marched in Sunday's parade. In a one-on-one interview Tuesday, FOX6 News asked him about the city’s emergency plan:
"Yes, there is a plan for something like this," said Reilly. "We had police cars on all intersections. We had barricades."
In a sign of increased security, trucks blocked streets around a vigil Monday night, something Reilly says could be a permanent fixture at future parades. What, if anything, could have prevented this tragedy?
"Legislation can’t make stuff like this go away," said Reilly. "I don’t know how that really happens. There are laws that say you can’t run people over. That law didn’t change this at all."
An internal investigation is also pending. Reilly said the first priority is helping those injured physically and emotionally. The Waukesha Christmas parade was to usher in the holiday season and came at the end of the city’s year-long 125th-anniversary celebrations. In October, FOX6 News got a preview of items that will be locked away in a time capsule for 50 years. We wondered how future generations will look back on this dark period of Waukesha's history.
"The city of Waukesha, the citizens will look back at this as a tragedy, but they will also look back at it as our community coming together, and helping and being a good community," said Reilly.
Just days away from Thanksgiving, Mayor Reilly reminded us all to be thankful for what we have and sends prayers to the families with empty seats around the dinner table this year.
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