Patrick Mahomes & wife Brittany visit with young victims of Chiefs’ Super Bowl victory parade shooting

If there is one positive to come out of the horrific events that unfolded during the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl victory parade, it’s the manner in which the team and wider community have come together to help victims heal. Indeed, it’s an effort that’s still ongoing.

Patrick & Brittany Mahomes are doing their part

According to reports, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his wife, Brittany, visited Children’s Mercy Hospital this week. The Mahomes of course were doing what they could, following the team’s Super Bowl victory parade which was brought to a shocking halt when a mass shooting occurred near the garage of the historic Union Station parking garage on Wednesday last week. While some degree of closure has begun with the arrest of suspects this week - they were juvenile - the community is still very much in the process of healing.

To be clear, twenty-three people were injured by gunfire and one person lost their life. Lisa Lopez-Galvan, a 43-year-old mother of two and local radio station DJ was killed. Lopez-Galvan’s family has since received a major boost in the form of a $100,000 donation from pop sensation Taylor Swift who is currently dating Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. As much as her act of kindness should be respected and appreciated, it will do nothing to return the life of yet another victim of gun violence. As for the Mahomes, the couple was photographed with two young girls, ages 8 and 10, both of whom underwent surgery to treat gunshots in their legs. Though they belong to the Reyes family, it is understood that Lopez-Galvan is a cousin of the two girls. Both children will be fitted with casts which they will have to wear for months.

“We want to give a personal thank you to the staff of Children’s Mercy Hospital and Patrick & Brittany Mahomes for their outpouring of care, love, and support,” The Reyes family said in a statement. “The girls were celebrating with many family members when they were senselessly injured. While we are relieved by their progress, the emotional healing continues for all of us. We kindly ask that you continue to keep our family and the other families affected in your thoughts and prayers.”

The Chiefs’ parade shooting: A recap of events

From what police have said since last Wednesday’s tragedy, we know that the shooting was the result of a dispute that had occurred earlier in the day. As mentioned above two juveniles have been arrested in connection with the shooting. Where victims are concerned, Children’s Mercy treated 12 patients from the shooting, 11 of whom were children. Their ages ranged from 6 to 15. Nine of those patients were treated for gunshot wounds. It’s important to note that all 11 of the injured youth are expected to make full recoveries.

Regarding other actions and events, we know that aside from Swift’s donation, the Chiefs themselves announced a relief fund for victims on Friday. It should be said that in the immediate aftermath of the incident, Chiefs players as well as head coach Andy Reid made an effort to comfort fans during the chaos. Indeed, one local teenager who indicated he had been separated from his father, stated that he had been helped by Chiefs running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire. “Clyde is a great human being,” Chris Cotten, Zach Cotten’s father said. “He didn’t have to help my son, but he did.”