(L-R) Finn, Sawyer, Haley, Mike and Michael at the Chiefs parade on Feb. 14.Photo:Courtesy Michael Nigro
Courtesy Michael Nigro
Mike Nigro is a lifelong Kansas City Chiefs fan, and now that he’s a four-time grandfather, that hometown team love has been passed down through generations.
The 59-year-old network operations manager brought his family of fellow Chiefs fans — his son, Michael, 36, and three of his four grandchildren: Haley, 10, Sawyer, 10, and Finn, 8, — to theteam’s Super Bowl victory paradeon Feb. 14, and never imagined that a day that should’ve been filled with nothing but celebration wouldend in tragedy.
When gunshots rang out at the parade moments after the team finished speaking on stage, Mike was horrified.
“It was worse than a punch in the gut. It was like it took the thrill of the Super Bowl away. It put everything in perspective. How awful, how evil, how wrong,” Mike tells PEOPLE.
“And I was really taken back. I’m a person of faith. I went right into prayer. I prayed for these people: God, don’t let anyone die. And unfortunately, a wonderful person, a DJ here in town, a mother, she did pass away," says Mike, remembering Lisa Lopez-Galvan, a mother of two, and a DJ atKKFI 90.1 FM. She was 43.
Lisa Lopez-Galvan/Facebook
While the family struggled with watching something that normally brought them joy turn into something so dark and twisted, they remain endlessly thankful to be unharmed — especially considering that this year so many of the kids,many of whom had become Chiefs fansthanks toTaylor Swift’s relationship withTravis Kelce, tagged along.
Michael’s daughter, Haley, his niece Sawyer and his nephew Finn all couldn’t wait to get to the parade as soon as possible on the morning of Feb. 14.
(Back, L-R) Mike and Michael Nigro, (Front, L-R) Finn, Haley and Sawyer at the Chiefs parade on Feb. 14.Courtesy Michael Nigro
“The kids were like, ‘I’m getting up at 5:00 a.m. with you. We’re going, period.’ And we got there early. And it’s funny because one kid sat with a blanket over them for three hours and the other kids were just waiting at the rail. Everything started out great. Players came and high-fived them, the kids had the greatest time ever, and then—”
Finn, Haley and Sawyer waiting for the Chiefs parade to start on the morning of Feb. 14.Courtesy Michael Nigro
Because they had the kids with them this year, Mike and his son had serendipitously decided to watch the parade near 11th and Grand Avenue at the top of the route, to avoid “the millions of people” down near Union Station.
“My brother and Dad took my kids because I had to work. And I had just gotten really busy and that [news break] came on live, and then my phone started blowing up," Kala recalls. “Everyone texted me, ‘Are the kids okay? Are the kids okay?’ And I’m like, ‘What is going on?’ "
“But I felt better because I knew that they weren’t staying there. I knew that they had my kids, they were probably already at the house, but it was scary,” Kala admits. “I had my daughter’s phone on me and a whole bunch of her friends from school were texting her, asking her if she was okay. And I’m like, ‘They’re 10 years old. That is just sad.’ ”
After the fact, Michael was integral to helping his family come to terms with the tragedy. They continue to try andfocus on the good.
“Dad was hurting. And I told him, ‘We’re not going to live in fear. All right?’ This is two [perpetrators] who are not going to ruin it for the 10 million that are celebrating.' And it’s awful. I hate it. And we pray for the victims. It’s just awful. But we’re not going to live in fear,” insists Michael. “They’re not going to win.”
source: people.com
