WAUWATOSA, Wis. — An all too familiar tragedy struck St. Camillus last week, when a priest was killed crossing the street.
Just past 1:30 p.m. on Friday, Father David Gau was crossing Wisconsin Avenue at 103rd Street with his walker. According to the Medical Examiner, a driver struck him. The ME’s Report says Gau was walking to a park across the street.
Bystanders and first responding firefighters performed CPR on Gau until an employee from St. Camillus came out with paperwork declaring Gau had “do not resuscitate” paperwork. Gau died at the scene. He was 93 years old.
“He was a wonderful man,” Father George Winzenburg at St. Camillus said. “Quiet, steady, practical. He was highly intelligent, an avid reader and loved classical music.”
Winzenburg says he’s known Gau for about 50 years, though the two men got closer over the last few years at St. Camillus. The evening before, Winzenburg and Gau shared a meal.
“I was stunned,” Winzenburg said. “This is very personal for me because he’s become a close friend. We had dinner the night before he died. We had a wonderful conversation, reflecting on his life and life in community.”
The community at St. Camillus has dealt with loss like this in the past. In the past six years, three people connected to the facility, including Gau, were killed by drivers. Winzenburg hopes Gau’s death highlights the need for change to protect pedestrians.
“He was a vigorous man,” Winzenburg said. “He’d walk every day. He took a lot of effort to keep his legs strong, his mind, his body. His whole person, really strong.”
While there is a crosswalk directly outside of St. Camillus near 100th and Wisconsin, there isn’t a crosswalk near 103rd.
An issue Winzenburg says he’s contacted the city about.
“I’ve been in communication with the mayor, the alderperson and the director of public works about making the crosswalk a safe place for anyone,” Winzenburg said. “But in particular, the Jesuit priests to cross from the south to the north side of Wisconsin Avenue.”
Winzenburg wants Gau to be remembered as the compassionate and calming priest he was for years. A teacher, pastor and someone who listened and cared for others. Winzenburg says Gau would abhor this situation but was extremely caring and forgiving. He would want everyone to forgive and move on, but his death may spark change. Change that could help protect the next priest out for a stroll.
TMJ4 News reached out to the Mayor Dennis McBride and Alderpersons Robin Brannin & Joseph Makhlouf but none were available Monday night.
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