KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Despite Wednesday’s shooting taking place in Kansas City, its impact spreads far beyond city limits.
Before the shooting, I spoke with fans who came from places like Seattle, South Carolina and Houston.
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“There’s Kansas City Chiefs fans everywhere,” Javier Salcido, who with his wife, Kristen, drove 12 hours from Houston for the parade, told me.
Both are Kansas City natives who are a part of a Chiefs fan group in Houston.
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“We wanted to meet new people and stuff, so we started our new family down there,” Kirsten Salcido said.
When they drove up for the parade, they first spent time celebrating. Now, they’re grieving with their family here. Their niece knew one of the victims, Lisa Lopez-Galvan.
“My niece sent me a picture of her and Lisa,” Kirsten Salcido told me.
“They were like best buds, that was her best friend,” Javier said. “That made it even more, the feeling behind it of the tragedy and everything ‘cause its family.”
When it comes to family, that’s all Lindsay Brett can think about.
“My family still lives there, my sisters still live there, some of my best friends still live there,” Brett said.
She drove three hours from Nixa, Missouri, which is near Springfield. This was her second time in a row attending the Chiefs parade, but as a KCMO native, she spent her entire childhood and early adulthood here. This year, she attended with her two kids — ages 15 and 18 — and a friend, who brought her parents in their 80s.
When I asked her what comes to mind when she thinks about the fact her kids have seen so much already, her answer revolved around contrast.
“Their lives are different than ours were,” Brett told me. “I grew up without a cell phone, now we're walking around, we can see you know, wounded people in a matter of seconds.”
When she thinks back on a city she’s removed from physically, that emotional tie still lasts.
“I don't think my opinion has changed of Kansas City,” Brett said. “Whether or not this is reality or not, I feel like I know the people. I know..that's my home.”
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