Weyauwega community mourns loss
By James Card
Throughout downtown Weyauwega, hearts appeared on storefront doors and windows to show support and sympathy to the family and friends of the four Gonzalez siblings that were killed after being hit head-on by an alleged drunken driver on Dec. 16.
On the hearts were written the names of the victims: 9-year-old Daniela, 14-year-old Lilian, 23-year-old Fabian and 25-year-old Daniel.
“A community member would like to show support by placing hearts in her window and is asking all businesses and residents to place hearts in their windows. These are small ways we can show our support and grief on such an unimagined loss,” said Kimberly Rogers, president of the Weyauwega Area Chamber of Commerce.
They were out for dinner at Culver’s when they were hit by a pickup going the wrong way on U.S. Highway 10 near County Trunk X.
The driver, 47-year-old Scott Farmer, survived and is charged with four counts of homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle and a fifth OWI. A $750,000 cash bond was set for Farmer. He was scheduled to make an appearance at the Waupaca County Courthouse on Dec. 26.
On Dec. 20, the body of Daniel Gonzalez, the driver of the vehicle and an organ donor, was flown via helicopter to a Madison hospital from the ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah where his organs would be harvested to save the lives of others.