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Milwaukee Dancing Grannies planning return to Waukesha

The group will honor their 'fallen four' at Christmas parade on Sunday

Milwaukee Dancing Grannies planning return to Waukesha

The group will honor their 'fallen four' at Christmas parade on Sunday

♪ >> THE MILWAUKEE DANCING GRANNIES ARE GEARING UP FOR THE WAUKESHA CHRISTMAS PARADE ON SUNDAY. THEY WANT TO HONOR THE MEMBERS THEY LOST AND THANK THE COMMUNITY FOR THEIR SUPPORT. ♪ ONE YEAR LATER. HOW ARE YOU FEELING AHEAD OF SUNDAY? >> A LITTLE BIT EMOTIONAL. >> AND EMOTIONS ARE STILL HIGH. THE MILWAUKEE DANCING GRANNIES LOST FOUR MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHEN A MAN DROVE THROUGH THE WAUKESHA CHRISTMAS PARADE IN NOVEMBER 2021. HE KILLED SIX PEOPLE TOTAL THAT DAY AND INJURED NEARLY 70 OTHERS. WALKING IN THIS PARADE AGAINBRINGS BACK MEMORIES. ♪ >> KNOWING THAT OUR FALLEN FOUR ARE NOT HERE WITH US. BUT THEN ALSO GOING BACK TO WAUKESHA KNOWING THAT THAT’S WHERE THEIR LAST STEPS WERE PAIRED -- WERE. >> THE DANCING GRANNIES PLAN TO HONOR THEIR FALLEN MEMBERS ON SUNDAY. >> WE ARE CARRYING POSTER SIZE PICTURES OF THE FALLEN FOUR, SOME FAMILY MEMBERS WILL BE JOINING US. >> THEY’RE ALSO PLANNING TO HAND OUT GIFT BAGS WITH GRANNY STRONG AND WAUKESHA STRONG BRACELETS INSIDE. A THANK YOU TO THE COMMUNITY. >> IT’S THE LOVE AND SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE EMPOWERING US TO MAKE US CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD -- FORWARD. >> HOW DOES THAT LOVE AND SUPPORT FEEL? >> VERY GOOD. VERY HEARTWARMING. ♪ >> THIS GROUP, A SISTERHOOD BONDED BY TRAGEDY. ♪ >> BUT TAKING STEPS TOWARD HEALING. >> WE’RE BUILDING NEW MEMORIES BUT NEVER FORGETTING WHAT WE HAD -- HAD. >> THE PARADE IS SUNDAY AFTERNOON AT 4:00 AND YOU WILL SEE THE DANCING GRANNIES IN THOSE ICONIC BLUE AND WHITE COSTUMES THEY TOLD ME THEY THOUGHT EABOUT CHANGING THEM BUT THEY VOTED TO KEEP THEM AS A WAY TO HONOR THE MEMBERS THEY LOST . IN BURLINGTON, IN KRISTIN PIERCE, WISN 12 NEWS. JOYC
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Milwaukee Dancing Grannies planning return to Waukesha

The group will honor their 'fallen four' at Christmas parade on Sunday

One year later and emotions are still high. The Milwaukee Dancing Grannies lost four members of their community when a man drove through the Waukesha Christmas Parade in November 2021. He killed six people total that day and injured nearly 70 others. Walking in this parade again brings back memories from that fatal day. "Knowing that our fallen four are not here with us but then also going back to Waukesha knowing that that's where their last steps were," said Jean Knutson, Milwaukee Dancing Grannies co-leader. The group plans to honor its fallen members on Sunday. "We are carrying poster-size pictures of the fallen four, some family members will be joining us," Knutson said. The Grannies are also planning to hang out gift bags with 'Granny Strong' and 'Waukesha Strong' bracelets inside. It's their way of saying thank you to the community for their love and support. "It's the love and support of the communities that are empowering us to make us continue to move forward," Knutson said. The group is a sisterhood that's been bonded by tragedy but taking steps toward healing. "We're building new memories but never forgetting what we had," Knutson said.Details of the 2022 Waukesha Christmas Parade:Waukesha Christmas Parade (waukesha-wi.gov)

One year later and emotions are still high.

The Milwaukee Dancing Grannies lost four members of their community when a man drove through the Waukesha Christmas Parade in November 2021. He killed six people total that day and injured nearly 70 others.

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Walking in this parade again brings back memories from that fatal day.

"Knowing that our fallen four are not here with us but then also going back to Waukesha knowing that that's where their last steps were," said Jean Knutson, Milwaukee Dancing Grannies co-leader.

The group plans to honor its fallen members on Sunday.

"We are carrying poster-size pictures of the fallen four, some family members will be joining us," Knutson said.

The Grannies are also planning to hang out gift bags with 'Granny Strong' and 'Waukesha Strong' bracelets inside. It's their way of saying thank you to the community for their love and support.

"It's the love and support of the communities that are empowering us to make us continue to move forward," Knutson said.

The group is a sisterhood that's been bonded by tragedy but taking steps toward healing.

"We're building new memories but never forgetting what we had," Knutson said.

Details of the 2022 Waukesha Christmas Parade:

Waukesha Christmas Parade (waukesha-wi.gov)