WAUKESHA, Wis. — Friends and strangers have raised more than $200,000 to support Waukesha South High School's marching band following the Christmas parade tragedy.
On Nov. 21, the high school marching band brought music and smiles to the annual parade. Tragically, several band members became victims when the driver of an SUV sped through the parade route, hitting dozens of people.
Six people were killed and many more were injured.
Several fundraisers were set up shortly after. Among them is a GoFundMe that raised more than $213,000 to help the band with medical costs, new instruments, uniforms, and any extra expenses.
Mark Mueller played tuba at Waukesha North High School and the University of Wisconsin Madison. A picture of a shattered sousaphone left behind at the parade moved Mueller and fellow Wisconsin Tuba players, alumni and current, to replace it.
"Since the horn can be a very expensive burden we wanted to take that burden away because then funds from other fundraisers can be used to support medical costs or anything else," Mueller said.
People from around the country pitched in and exceeded the $8,000 goal on GoFundMe.
"I hope that they realize how many people out there in the country and around the world really do care about them," Mueller said.
The School District of Waukesha is still working on how much the marching band lost in instruments and uniforms.