Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on August 6, 2022

The parents of a toddler. A father of eight and a grandfather to many. A synagogue employee known for her kindness. A family man who loved the arts.

A mass shooting during the Highland Park Independence Day parade has now claimed the lives of at least seven people and left some two dozen others injured, ranging in age from 8 to 85 years old.

Those killed were:

Here is what we know about the victims of the shooting.

Katie Goldsteins neighbor Andrew Chevalier said she brought him a pie when he moved into the house across the street from hers a few years ago. Every holiday season since, she has brought cookies and other goodies, even going so far as to provide gluten-free options for his wifes dietary restrictions.

She had a super warm personality ... (she was) someone you look forward to seeing around, he said.

According to Chevalier, his two-year-old daughter had taken a liking to her as well, saying that Katie Goldstein made sure to stop and listen to her toddler babblings when they were playing in the front yard.

Chevalier, who had originally planned on attending the parade, said he had texted Katie Goldstein to check in that she was OK after hearing about the shooting. The fact that she didnt get back to him by the end of the day was unusual, he said.

>>> Read the full story here

The family of Eduardo Uvaldo, 69, prayed for a miracle after the grandfather was shot while attending the Highland Park Fourth of July parade. His daughters, on social media, pleaded with others to join them in prayer, sharing a photo of Uvaldo sitting in front of the Louvre in Paris, wearing a blue shirt and a soft smile.

Highland Park Fourth of July parade shooting victim Eduardo Uvaldo, right, and his wife Maria Uvaldo in an undated photo. (Uvaldo family)

But Uvaldo didnt make it and two days after the shooting, requests for prayers for a miracle turned into prayers for strength for the family he leaves behind. Uvaldo died just before 8 a.m. July 6 at Evanston Hospital, surrounded by his family, said Jackie Tapia, a close family friend.

Uvaldos funeral was held at The Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1521 Washington St., in his hometown of Waukegan, drawing approximately 500 guests, including Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, and Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering.

>>> Read the full story here

Toddler Aiden McCarthy was found in the chaotic aftermath of the July 4 mass shooting in Highland Park as strangers sought to reunite him with his family.

The following day it emerged that the parents of 2-year-old Aiden, Irina and Kevin McCarthy, were among the seven people killed when gunfire erupted at the start of the local Fourth of July parade.

Irina McCarthy, 35, and Kevin McCarthy, 37, both of Highland Park, left behind a 2-year-old boy, Aiden McCarthy. (GoFundMe)

Aidens grandfather, Michael Levberg, told the Tribune July 5 that he was eventually reunited with his grandson after Aiden was taken to the local police station.

When I picked him up, he said, Are Mommy and Daddy coming soon? Levberg said. He doesnt understand.

She was laid to rest eight days after the shooting. Our hearts are shattered. The pain is unbearable. There are rivers of tears. We dont want to be here, nor should we be here today, Rabbi Dovid Flinkenstein said at the service.

>>> Read the full story here

Steve Straus, 88, was an exceptional joke-teller, an avid reader and a culture vulture who enjoyed the artistic fruits of the Art Institute and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, family members said. Energetic beyond his years, Straus commuted on Metra five days a week to his office downtown, where he worked as a stockbroker.

Straus, said his son Peter Straus, was very curious about the world.

A longtime Highland Park resident who was born and raised on the Chicagos South Side, his son Jonathan Straus described him as a product of Chicago.

>>> Read the full story here

Nicolas Toledo, 76, had arrived a few months ago from his native Morelos, Mexico, to spend time with his family after retiring several years ago.

Toledos family said he was the father of eight and a grandfather to many whod spent most of his life in the Chicago area but had returned to his hometown after retiring several years ago.

Nicolas Toledo, seated, was a father of eight and a grandfather who was shot and killed during the Fourth of July parade in Highland Park. (Toledo family)

At the start of the parade, he was sitting in a wheelchair surrounded by children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren when the gunshots rang out; he reportedly was killed instantly.

Today Nicolas is our guardian angel, his granddaughter Xochil Toledo wrote about Nicolas Toledo. We ask you (to) please keep our family and all the families of this horrible tragedy in your prayers and stay strong as a community.

>>> Read the full story here

A woman who worked and worshipped for decades at a synagogue in Glencoe was among the victims of the deadly shooting at the Highland Park parade, synagogue leaders confirmed.

Highland Park Fourth of July parade shooting victim Jacki Sundheim, worked at North Shore Congregation Israel. (North Shore Congregation Israel)

Jacki Sundheim coordinated events and bar and bat mitzvahs at North Shore Congregation Israel, according to the synagogues website. Authorities said six people were killed and 24 others wounded when a gunman opened fire just as Highland Parks Fourth of July parade was kicking off.

Sundheim also taught preschool at Congregation Israel, where she was a lifelong member, according to a message from the synagogue. It also said her work, kindness and warmth touched us all and that she guided innumerable among us through lifes moments of joy and sorrow, all of this with tireless dedication.

>>> Read the full story here

Cooper Roberts, the 8-year-old boy who was paralyzed at the July Fourth mass shooting in Highland Park has been released from pediatric intensive care after almost a month of turbulent recovery.

As Cooper gets closer to returning home, the Roberts family said they feel all the prayers being sent their way and are grateful for and humbled by the outpouring of support.

Cooper Roberts, an 8-year-old boy paralyzed from the waist down after being wounded at the Fourth of July parade shooting in Highland Park, has been released from pediatric intensive care after almost a month of a turbulent recovery. In the first photo taken of and shared of Cooper following the massacre, he is seen smiling and hugging the family dog while sitting in his wheelchair. (Roberts family photo)

Though she remained optimistic about Coopers recovery, the painful memory of the shooting reminds her that his life will never be the same as he learns to live paralyzed and deals with emotional stress over the situation. Coopers twin brother, Luke, was also injured.

We were shot. I can hardly say it. None of us Cooper, Luke, me, our family, the other victims and their families, our community will ever be the same, Roberts said in a written statement. Seven people were murdered that day, and our hearts go out to their families, friends and all whose lives they touched. And we are among the dozens of others injured, shattered, hanging on and fighting through.

>>> Read the full story here

Chicago Public Schools teacher Zoe Kolpack was shot in the femur while attending the parade with her husband, Stephen; their two young children; her parents; and Stephens family, according to family friend Samantha Whitehead, who is raising money for medical costs.

Whitehead said Stephen Kolpack and Zoes dad, Mike Joyce, were shot in the leg as well, while Stephens brother, Nicholas, was shot in the kneecap. The injuries are not life-threatening, and the Kolpack children were unharmed, Whitehead said.

Whitehead said Zoes mother, Nancy Joyce, grabbed the two small kids and hid in a nearby building for about 45 minutes, until they were given the all-clear.

Meanwhile, Zoes dad was hovering (over) her and protecting her because she couldnt move. And she just said that, like, people were just running past her, and she was just screaming, help, help. She said she felt like it went on for like 30 minutes, Whitehead said.

In a statement, CPS said it was devastated to learn that one of our CPS teachers and her family members are among those who were injured in the (July 4) mass shooting in Highland Park. Zoe, who has worked for the district since 2017, teaches preschool at William Dever Elementary School on the Northwest Side. CPS said support services will be available to support the Dever Elementary staff and students as needed.

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These are the victims of the Highland Park parade shooting - Chicago Tribune

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