‘We are all survivors:’ Highland Park Strong crowd gathers for memorial service for parade massacre victims

HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. (CBS) — A robust turnout at a vigil Wednesday evening proved that the people of Highland Park are indeed Highland Park strong.

A memorial service for the victims of the July 4th parade massacre was held on the lawn of Highland Park City Hall, 1707 St. Johns Ave. The service brought community, faith, and city leaders together to honor the victims of the massacre.

That includes the seven people killed – Katherine Goldstein, 64 of Highland Park; Irina McCarthy, 35, of Highland Park; Kevin McCarthy, 37, of Highland Park; Jacki Sundheim, 63, of Highland Park; Stephen Straus, 88, of Highland Park; Nicolas Toledo-Zaragoza, 78, of Morelos, Mexico; and Eduardo Uvaldo, 69 of Waukegan – as well as the dozens of others who were hurt. Many of those who were wounded are still recovering.

Hundreds of people gathered for the service. They covered every square inch of the City Hall lawn – showing support from across the Chicago area to honor the victims, and the thousands of neighbors touched by the tragedy.

As the crowd held candles, leaders said it is hard to speak of healing after so much loss. Many of the neighbors are also still in disbelief.

“I’ve never seen anything like this in 50 years,” said Judith Brill of Highland Park. “You have to support your town, and hope not that it will pass, but that over time, it gets less hard to accept.”

Highland Park Strings, and The Pipes and Drums of the Chicago Police Department, offered a musical tribute in light of tragedy. Coming from every direction, from Chicago to the suburbs, families showed up to be Highland Park Strong.

Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering said her community will never be the same – but that healing starts in such gatherings as the one Wednesday night.

“The trauma of gun violence doesn’t end when the shooting stops,” Rotering told those gathered for the vigil. “Experiencing gun violence in our community has a lasting impact on all of us. We are all survivors.”

And the next generation of future leaders, like Feliks Reznik of Glenview, say they will lead the charge for change.

“Change starts with mostly the younger people,” Reznik said. “The change starts now.”

“We will keep those murdered in our hearts and in our minds as we work to resolve that this evil attack will not define who we are, nor will it define how we treat each other,” Mayor Rotering said.

We heard a lot of calls for change at the service specifically with regard to gun reform. Mayor Rotering said it is now her life’s mission now to make such a change.