'Jerseys For Jackson' Seeks To Honor Child Killed In Parade

WAUKESHA, WI — A movement to honor a boy killed in the Waukesha Christmas parade was making the rounds on social media and across the nation.

Todd Ahrens, a Wisconsin native and Texas resident, said he read Patch's story on Jackson Sparks' funeral arrangements. He posted on social media asking people to wear a baseball jersey Friday in honor of the 8-year-old, who died from injuries he suffered at the parade on Nov. 21.

Jackson will be laid to rest on Thursday, according to an obituary posted online.

Ahrens' post was shared more than 6,000 times on Facebook, and screenshots of his post were shared on local and Major League Baseball broadcaster Twitter pages, including that of Milwaukee Brewers play-by-play announcer Brian Anderson.

Jackson Sparks loved baseball and played for the Waukesha Blazers.

"I'm sitting and reading the Patch story about Jackson," Ahrens said. "It mentioned the mom wanting small children to wear baseball jerseys to the funeral to honor Jackson."

"I thought we could do better than that," he added.

Sparks was one of six people who died when a man drove an SUV through the Waukesha Christmas parade. The five others who died were Virginia Sorenson, 79; LeAnna Owen, 71; Tamara Durand, 52; Jane Kulich, 52; and Wilhelm Hospel, 81. More than 60 people were injured, including Sparks' brother, Tucker Sparks.

Patch reached out to the Sparks family for comment.

Ahrens said his two younger children have played baseball for eight years. Ahrens thought why not make this local symbol of love into something bigger and posted on Facebook.

The post went viral.

"People know people who know people," Ahrens said.

Ahrens is the father of four children. He said he can only imagine what the Sparks family is going through, and his hope is for people around the nation to wear a baseball jersey Friday to honor Jackson Sparks.

"Let's show his parents there is more than Wisconsin but all around this land who want to honor their son," he said.

This isn't about him but the whole world coming together in a time of negativity, politics and the pandemic, he added.

Connection To Parade

Ahrens is no stranger to the Waukesha parade. He worked in promotions for Milwaukee radio station FM 106 from 1993-2003. Ahrens would either sit with the radio DJs or drive the truck.

"I drove the truck and trailer for the parade for 10 years," Ahrens said.

The Ahren family was in Wisconsin for Thanksgiving but didn't attend the parade. Ahrens' niece, Emily Bingham, a cheerleader at Waukesha North High School, was in the parade. She was not injured, but Ahrens said everyone was still in shock at the close call.

"They had already completed their part of the parade when my mother-in-law called," Ahrens said.

Ahrens now works as a firefighter and EMT. His wife, Brenda Ahrens, is a nurse.

"We are first responders and saw all the videos. We wanted jump in the television and help," he said.

The support being given to Waukesha does not surprise him. The suburbs in the area stick together, he said, and it doesn't matter if you are from Greendale or Wauwatosa.

"I'm just a Dallas guy and cheesehead at heart. This is what we do being from Wisconsin," he said.