‘Love will prevail’ and ‘Highwood strong,’ say supportive neighbors during vigil for Highland Park rampage victims

What’s usually an upbeat Wednesday Evening Market in Highwood was converted into a candlelight vigil as the city showed its support for those affected by Monday’s mass shooting during the Fourth of July parade in nearby Highland Park.

The vigil began about 6:30 p.m. at Everts Park, 111 North Ave., where neighbors tore up strips of orange fabric, the shade signifying gun violence awareness, and tied them side by side along a long piece of black fabric hanging like a clothesline from one tree to another.

On a table, they placed a white banner with the word “ENOUGH” stenciled into a drawing of a bullet, the orange and black strips of fabric dancing in the wind behind it.

Groups of lawn chairs were set up on the grass on the breezy, overcast evening as white flowers were handed out.

Below a pink heart, a message in chalk read “Love will prevail” next to “HP Strong.”

A poster board read, “Highwood Strong — We Stand With — HP Strong” next to attendees passing out candles.

Neighbors hugged and gathered in small circles around the park to talk, a blend of conversations in Spanish and English.

Penny Facchini and her daughter Renee Facchini, of Highland Park, wanted to show solidarity.

“A lot of the victims also were from Highwood,” Renee Facchini said. “Highwoodans go to the Highland Park parade.”

Penny Facchini said they consider Highwood and Highland Park as being one community.

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“We came here specifically because we feel more of a kinship with Highwood,” she said.

Penny is a third-generation Highland Park resident and her daughter fourth-generation, working on closing on a home nearby, she said.

Living there for so long, they said they know many of the victims who were killed and injured, and know the shooter’s family, as well as first responders.

“I don’t think people are grasping how small of a community we really are,” Renee Facchini said.

While they’ve been to the Fourth of July parade in past years, the Facchinis skipped the parade on Monday, Penny said, calling it a “fluke.”

The Facchinis said it’s important to come together to heal.

“We’re here because we’re deeply upset that this has happened here,” Renee said. “But also, of course this has happened here. Right? What city in America is safe from gun violence right now?”