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Truck driver to honor victims on snowplow in Waukesha Christmas Parade

The Waukesha Strong heart and six hearts with angel wings were painted on his plow by 11 students at Waukesha South High School.
Posted at 8:13 PM, Nov 16, 2022
and last updated 2022-11-17 10:43:59-05

WAUKESHA, Wis. — The Waukesha Christmas Parade will go on this year in honor of those who died and were injured.

Their memory can be found along Main Street in downtown Waukesha and on a truck that will be in the parade.

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Terry Rutledge will be driving this Waukesha County snowplow truck in the Christmas parade this year. The Waukesha Strong heart and six hearts with angel wings were painted on his plow by 11 students at Waukesha South High School.

Terry Rutledge will be driving a Waukesha County snowplow truck in the Christmas parade this year. The Waukesha Strong heart and six hearts with angel wings were painted on his plow by 11 students at Waukesha South High School.

It's a moving mural in every sense of the word.

"This truck is $450,000, but it has (a) priceless paint job," Rutledge says.

Every detail painted on the blow was a team effort. Rutledge fights back tears just thinking about it.

"Some of the students that were painting on the plow were actually in the parade," he said. "So, it was kind of emotional for them and for me. I shared my vision, and then the plow kind of evolved as they were painting."

This is what Waukesha Strong means to Rutledge:

"Unity, strength. This truck has strength, the paint job was done in unity."

Rutledge has been driving truck with the county for more than 40 years, but he has one more important assignment before he retires next month.

"It'll be an honor to be in (the) Christmas parade this year."

This year's parade will be on Sunday, Dec. 4.

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