WEYAUWEGA, Wis. — Hearts large and small are showing up in windows around the small community of Weyauwega.
Residents and businesses are putting them up in remembrance of four young people killed in a traffic crash on U.S. 10 on Saturday.
Large hearts were placed in the windows of JD’s Cafe. Owner Danyelle Domrzalski said the crash has taken a toll on the community.
“Personally, at the cafe Sunday, we had a few of their classmates working and they found out while they were working that it had happened Saturday night,” she said. “That was hard for them.”
JD’s and other businesses and homes are displaying the hearts in windows and are also collecting monetary donations for the family.
Weyauwega has a population of about 2,000 people.
“If people didn’t know them personally, they know somebody who did or they have family members that go school or they work with them,” Domrzalski said. “They’ve been in the community for years.”
Daniela, Lilian, Fabian and Daniel Gonzales died from injuries when the SUV they were traveling in was hit head-on by a wrong way driver in a pickup on U.S. Highway 10 near County Road X Saturday night. They ranged in age from 9 to 25.
Prosecutors said Scott Farmer, 47 of Neenah, was driving the wrong way on the highway when he collided with the SUV.
He faces four counts of homicide by intoxicated use of a motor vehicle. If convicted, this would be his 5th OWI offense.
Even though she doesn’t know the family directly, Samantha Haase of Shine Nutrition said she feels for the family of the Gonzalez siblings.
“I can’t imagine what they’re going through,” she said. “I think the community really feels the weight of this. So, any little thing we can do.”
Hearts are on the front window and a donation container is on the counter.
“When things like this happen, we all feel it, we’re all affected,” Haase said. “ Even something as simple as putting these hearts in the windows showing our support, putting donation bins out tto help lessen the family's load. You don’t even have to ask the businesses around here to do that stuff. It just seems they’re all so willing to help in any way they can.”
Domrzalski said she wants to the family of the Gonzales children to know the community is there for them.
“I hope they take their time and heal on their own time,’ she said. “I do hope they know the community is behind them.”