WAUKESHA, Wis. — To Jan Kwiatkowski, it doesn’t feel like a full 365 days have passed since the tragedy at the Waukesha Christmas parade.
What You Need To Know
- On Nov. 21, 2021, Darrell Brooks Jr. drove his SUV into the Waukesha Christmas parade
- He killed six and injured more than 60 others
- Brooks was found guilty and sentenced to six lifetimes plus more than 700 additional years in prison
- On Monday, the City of Waukesha held a remembrance ceremony for the anniversary of the tragedy
“No, no. Not at all,” Kwiatkowski said. “I mean, some days during the year it felt like it would never end and this time was so far away. Like, yeah, it doesn’t feel like a year. It feels fresh.”
The anniversary brought mixed emotions for the co-leader of the Milwaukee Dancing Grannies, but Kwiatkowski said she was glad to be with others. She said it’s an opportunity to continue to heal.
“Knowing that it’s a shared experience, it doesn’t take grief and trauma and all of that away, but it’s really important to know that you’re not alone, and that’s where we are today,” Kwiatkowski said.
She wasn’t alone. Several hundred people, including victims, their families, or those in the Waukesha community who wanted to show support, gathered in Cutler Park at 4:39 p.m. Monday. It was the exact moment when Darrell Brooks Jr. drove his SUV into the parade a year prior.
Claire Spencer, a Carroll University student, was one of the community supporters.
She and her boyfriend were right next to the Xtreme Dance Team when those dancers were hit.
“It’s just really emotional because I’ve never experienced something like this before and having a group around me that are dealing with similar things and can come together in this way, there’s a lot of strength in that, I think,” Spencer said.
Healing through community was a theme among all speakers at the event Monday night, including Waukesha Mayor Shawn Reilly and Gov. Tony Evers.
“Waukesha has worked to turn an unimaginable tragedy into a powerful source of hope and love and strength,” Evers said. “It’s been breathtaking to watch. You all have reminded us what community really means.”
But if you asked anyone at Monday’s remembrance ceremony, they’d tell you the road to healing is a long one.
“It’s not over,” Spencer said. “It’s not over. Which makes it harder, but it’s nice that there is support.”
And a year later, the community is still doing just that — supporting and leaning on one another.