Family opens up for the 1st time about Jackson Sparks, boy killed in Waukesha parade tragedy (2024)

By: Jessob Reisbeck

Posted: Jul 5, 2022 9:03 PM CDT

NOW: Family opens up for the 1st time about Jackson Sparks, boy killed in Waukesha parade tragedy

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'); if(!WVM.IS_STREAMING){ $videoEl.append('' + '' + ''); } setTimeout(function(){ $('.mute-overlay').on('touchstart click', function(e){ if(e.handled === false) return; e.stopPropagation(); e.preventDefault(); e.handled = true; player.muted(false); //console.log("volumee " + WVM.activePlayer.volume()); $(this).hide(); $(this).css('display', 'none'); var currentTime = player.currentTime(); if(currentTime < 3){ player.currentTime(0); } var adsManager = player.ima.getAdsManager(); adsManager.setVolume(player.volume()); }); $('.video-close-floating').on('click', function(){ WVM['player_state' + videoId]['CANCEL_FLOATING'] = true; WVM.IS_FLOATING = false; $('#media-container-' + videoId).css('width', "100%"); $('#media-container-' + videoId).removeClass('floating-video'); $('#media-placeholder-' + videoId).css('display', 'none'); player.pause(); player.ima.getAdsManager().pause(); }); if(hideClose){ setTimeout(function(){ $('.video-close-floating').css('display', 'none'); $('.video-close-floating').remove(); }, 500); } }, 500); } else{ //wait 500 sec call again setTimeout(function(){ WVM.addMuteButton(videoId, player, hideClose); }, 500); } }; WVM.addFloatingAbility = function(videoId, player){ var deviceName = 'desktop'; if($('#media-container-' + videoId).length > 0){ if(deviceName == 'desktop'){ WVM.VIDEO_TOP = $('#media-container-' + videoId).offset().top; }else{ WVM.VIDEO_TOP = $('#media-container-' + videoId).offset().top - $('.next-dropdown-accordion').height(); } if(deviceName == 'desktop'){ WVM.VIDEO_HEIGHT = $('#html5-video-' + videoId).outerHeight(); }else{ WVM.VIDEO_HEIGHT = $('#html5-video-' + videoId).outerHeight(); } WVM.CONTAINER_HEIGHT = $('#media-container-' + videoId).height(); //console.log("container height: " + WVM.CONTAINER_HEIGHT); $(window).on( "resize", function() { if(deviceName == 'desktop'){ WVM.VIDEO_TOP = $('#media-container-' + videoId).offset().top; }else{ WVM.VIDEO_TOP = $('#media-container-' + videoId).offset().top - $('.next-dropdown-accordion').height(); } if(deviceName == 'desktop'){ WVM.VIDEO_HEIGHT = $('#html5-video-' + videoId).outerHeight(); }else{ WVM.VIDEO_HEIGHT = $('#html5-video-' + videoId).outerHeight(); } WVM.CONTAINER_HEIGHT = $('#media-container-' + videoId).height(); console.log("container height: " + WVM.CONTAINER_HEIGHT); }); //console.log("VIDEOTOP: " + WVM.VIDEO_TOP); //console.log("VIDEOHEIGHT: " + WVM.VIDEO_HEIGHT); $(window).on( "scroll", function() { if(!WVM.IS_FLOATING){ if(deviceName == 'desktop'){ WVM.CONTAINER_HEIGHT = $('#media-container-' + videoId).height(); }else{ WVM.CONTAINER_HEIGHT = $('#media-container-' + videoId + " .hlsvideo-wrapper").height() + $('#media-container-' + videoId + " .now-playing-container").height(); } } //var top = $('#media-container-' + videoId).offset().top; var offset = WVM.VIDEO_TOP + (WVM.VIDEO_HEIGHT / 2); var offsetBack = WVM.VIDEO_TOP; var changed = false; //console.log("VIDEOTOP: " + WVM.VIDEO_TOP); //console.log("VIDEOHEIGHT: " + WVM.VIDEO_HEIGHT); //console.log("scrolltop " + $(window).scrollTop()); 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} else if(WADS.IS_STICKING){ if(!WADS.TOP_AD_VIEWED){ $('#media-container-' + videoId).addClass('mobile-ad-is-sticky'); }else{ $('#media-container-' + videoId).addClass('mobile-ad-is-sticky-noad'); } } else if(!WADS.IS_STICKING){ if(!WADS.TOP_AD_VIEWED){ $('#media-container-' + videoId).removeClass('desktop-ad-is-sticky'); }else{ $('#media-container-' + videoId).addClass('desktop-ad-is-sticky-noad'); } } //set right var sWidth = window.innerWidth || document.documentElement.clientWidth; var sHeight = window.innerHeight || document.documentElement.clientHeight; if(deviceName == 'desktop' || sWidth > 900){ var leftPos2 = $('aside').get(0).getBoundingClientRect().left; var leftPos = $('aside').offset().left ; $('#media-container-' + videoId).css('left', leftPos + "px"); var newWidth = Math.floor(sWidth / 3.5); $('#media-container-' + videoId).css('width', newWidth + "px"); } else{ $('#media-container-' + videoId).css('width', "100% !important"); $('#media-container-' + videoId + ' .now-playing-container').css('display', 'block'); $('#media-container-' + videoId + ' .next-dropdown-accordion').css('display', 'block'); } //floating-video $('#media-container-' + videoId + " " + '.page-carousel-wrapper').hide(); setTimeout(function(){ var hWrapper = $('.floating-video .hlsvideo-wrapper').height(); var npWidth = $('.floating-video .now-playing-container').height(); var ndWidth = $('.floating-video .next-dropdown-header').height() + 20; var scrollerHeight = sHeight - (hWrapper + npWidth + ndWidth); scrollerHeight = 180; //scrollerHeight = parseInt(scrollerHeight * 0.5); if(WVM.device_name == 'desktop'){ $('#media-container-' + videoId + " " + " .mobile-list-videos").height(scrollerHeight); } }, 100); }else if($(window).scrollTop() < offsetBack){ if(WVM.IS_FLOATING){ changed = true; } WVM.IS_FLOATING = false; $('#media-container-' + videoId).css('width', "100%"); $('#media-container-' + videoId).removeClass('floating-video'); $('#media-placeholder-' + videoId).css('display', 'none'); $('#media-container-' + videoId + ' .now-playing-container').css('display', 'block'); } if($('#next-dropdown-accordion-button-' + videoId).find('i').hasClass('fa-chevron-up')){ //console.log("show it"); if(deviceName == "desktop" && !$('#media-container-' + videoId).hasClass('floating-video')){ $('#media-container-' + videoId + " " + '.page-carousel-wrapper').show(); $('#media-container-' + videoId + " " + '.mobile-list-wrapper').hide(); //console.log("showing desktop"); if(!WVM.player_state190048['CAROUSEL_INIT']){ WVM.setupCarousel(videoId); } }else{ if(changed){ //default closed for mobile/floating player $('#next-dropdown-accordion-button-' + videoId).find('i').removeClass('fa-chevron-up'); $('#next-dropdown-accordion-button-' + videoId).find('i').addClass('fa-chevron-down'); $('#media-container-' + videoId + " " + '.page-carousel-wrapper').hide(); $('#media-container-' + videoId + " " + '.mobile-list-wrapper').hide(); var currVideoId = WVM['player_state' + videoId]['VIDEO_ID']; var nextVideoId = WVM.getNextPlaylistIndex(currVideoId); var myTitle = WVM.getPlaylistData(videoId, currVideoId, 'noprefixtitle'); $('#video-slider-nexttitle' + videoId).css('display', 'inline'); $('#video-slider-nexttitle' + videoId).html(myTitle); }else{ $('#media-container-' + videoId + " " + '.page-carousel-wrapper').hide(); $('#media-container-' + videoId + " " + '.mobile-list-wrapper').show(); } } }else{ $('#media-container-' + videoId + " " + '.page-carousel-wrapper').hide(); $('#media-container-' + videoId + " " + '.mobile-list-wrapper').hide(); } } ); $('#media-container-' + videoId + ' .video-close').on('click',function(){ //set back to paused and stop floating WVM['player_state' + videoId]['CANCEL_FLOATING'] = true; WVM.IS_FLOATING = false; $('#media-container-' + videoId).css('width', "100%"); $('#media-container-' + videoId).removeClass('floating-video'); $('#media-placeholder-' + videoId).css('display', 'none'); player.pause(); player.ima.getAdsManager().pause(); //$(".now-playing-container").fadeOut(100); //$(".mobile-flexbox-video-splitter").addClass("full-width"); }); } }; WVM.setupCarousel = function(fullVideoId, player){ // initialize Masonry after all images have loaded //alert("setting up carousel"); $('#page-carousel-' + fullVideoId).css('display', 'block'); WVM['player_state' + fullVideoId]['CAROUSEL_INIT'] = true; if($('#page-carousel-' + fullVideoId).length > 0){ var container = document.querySelector('#page-carousel-' + fullVideoId); imagesLoaded( container, function() { var screenWidth = window.innerWidth || document.documentElement.clientWidth; if(screenWidth > 850){ WVM.IS_DESKTOP = true; $('#page-carousel-' + fullVideoId + ' .page-carousel-lg-slides').css('display', 'block'); WVM['player_settings' + fullVideoId].slider = $('#page-carousel-' + fullVideoId).bxSlider({ maxSlides: 4, minSlides: 4, slideWidth: 305, infiniteLoop: false, hideControlOnEnd: true, useCSS: true, pager: false, slideMargin: 15, moveSlides: 1, nextText: '', prevText: '' }); }else{ WVM.IS_DESKTOP = false; $('.page-carousel-wrapper').css('display', 'block'); } }); } }; WVM.setupToggleButton = function(fullVideoId, player){ if($('.nextplay-switch-' + fullVideoId).length > 0){ new DG.OnOffSwitchAuto({ cls:'.nextplay-switch-' + fullVideoId, height: 24, trackColorOn:'#F9F9F9', trackColorOff:'#222', textColorOn: '#222', textColorOff: '#222', textOn:'On', textOff:'Off', listener:function(name, checked){ var theVal = 1; if(!checked){ theVal = 0; } $.ajax({ url: '/ajax/update_autoplay_video/', data: { autoplay_on: theVal }, type: 'POST', dataType: 'json', success: function(data) { WVM['player_settings' + fullVideoId]['autoplay'] = checked; }, error : function(){ console.log("Error loading video"); } }); } }); } }; WVM.setupAccordionButton = function(fullVideoId){ var deviceName = 'desktop'; $('#next-dropdown-accordion-button-' + fullVideoId).on('click', function(){ if($(this).find('i').hasClass('fa-chevron-up')){ //hide $(this).find('i').removeClass('fa-chevron-up'); $(this).find('i').addClass('fa-chevron-down'); if(deviceName == "desktop" && !$('#media-container-' + fullVideoId).hasClass('floating-video')){ $('#media-container-' + fullVideoId + " " + '.page-carousel-wrapper').slideUp(); $('#media-container-' + fullVideoId + " " + '.mobile-list-wrapper').hide(); }else{ $('#media-container-' + fullVideoId + " " + '.mobile-list-wrapper').slideUp(); $('#media-container-' + fullVideoId + " " + '.page-carousel-wrapper').hide(); } var currVideoId = WVM['player_state' + fullVideoId]['VIDEO_ID']; var nextVideoId = WVM.getNextPlaylistIndex(currVideoId); //playerId, mediaId, fieldName var myTitle = WVM.getPlaylistData(fullVideoId, nextVideoId, 'noprefixtitle'); //alert("Getting title " + myTitle); $('#video-slider-nexttitle' + fullVideoId).css('display', 'inline'); $('#video-slider-nexttitle' + fullVideoId).html(myTitle); }else{ //expand $(this).find('i').addClass('fa-chevron-up'); $(this).find('i').removeClass('fa-chevron-down'); $('#media-container-' + fullVideoId + " " + '.mobile-list-wrapper').css('display', 'block'); if(deviceName == "desktop" && !$('#media-container-' + fullVideoId).hasClass('floating-video')){ $('#media-container-' + fullVideoId + " " + '.page-carousel-wrapper').css('display', 'block'); $('#media-container-' + fullVideoId + " " + '.page-carousel-wrapper').slideDown(); $('#media-container-' + fullVideoId + " " + '.mobile-list-wrapper').hide(); if(!WVM.player_state190048['CAROUSEL_INIT']){ WVM.setupCarousel(fullVideoId); } }else{ $('#media-container-' + fullVideoId + " " + '.mobile-list-wrapper').slideDown(); $('#media-container-' + fullVideoId + " " + '.page-carousel-wrapper').hide(); if(!$('#media-container-' + fullVideoId).hasClass('floating-video')){ if(!WVM.player_state190048['CAROUSEL_INIT']){ WVM.setupCarousel(fullVideoId); } } } $('#video-slider-nexttitle' + fullVideoId).css('display', 'none'); } }); var currVideoId = WVM['player_state' + fullVideoId]['VIDEO_ID']; //console.log("current Video " + currVideoId); var nextVideoId = WVM.getNextPlaylistIndex(currVideoId); var myTitle = WVM.getPlaylistData(fullVideoId, nextVideoId, 'noprefixtitle'); //console.log("setting title " + myTitle); $('#video-slider-nexttitle' + fullVideoId).css('display', 'inline'); $('#video-slider-nexttitle' + fullVideoId).html(myTitle); }; WVM.sendbeacon = function(action, nonInteraction, value, eventLabel) { var eventCategory = 'Video'; if (window.ga) { //console.log("sending action: " + action + " val: " + value + " label " + eventLabel); ga('send', 'event', { 'eventCategory': eventCategory, 'eventAction': action, 'eventLabel': eventLabel, 'eventValue': value, 'nonInteraction': nonInteraction }); } }; WVM.getNextPlaylistIndex = function(mediaId, returnArrayIndex){ var currId = null; if(mediaId == null){ return null; } for(var x =0; x < WVM.playlist_ids.length; x++){ var myMediaId = WVM.playlist_ids[x]; if(myMediaId == mediaId){ currId = myMediaId; break; } } var nextId = x + 1; if(nextId < WVM.playlist_ids.length && currId !== null){ if(!returnArrayIndex){ return WVM.playlist_ids[nextId]; }else{ return nextId; } } return null; }; WVM.getPlaylistArrayId = function(mediaId){ for(var x =0; x < WVM.playlist_ids.length; x++){ var myMediaId = WVM.playlist_ids[x]; if(myMediaId == mediaId){ return x; } } return null; }; //unimportant stuff like tracking... don't put anything platform specific here WVM.finishPlayer = function(player, playerState, playerSettings){ var percentsPlayedInterval = 25; //player.off('loadedmetadata'); player.on('loadedmetadata', function(){ if(playerState.PLAYER_META){ return; } playerState.PLAYER_META = true; WVM.sendbeacon("loadedmetadata", true, playerState.VIDEO_ID, playerState.VIDEO_TITLE); }); //player.off('ready'); player.on('ready', function(){ playerState.PLAYER_READY = true; }); //player.off(['waiting', 'pause']); player.on(['waiting', 'pause'], function() { playerState.IS_PLAYING = false; $('.vjs-loading-spinner').removeClass('badspinner'); setTimeout(function(){ //let it spin for 3 sec at most $('.vjs-loading-spinner').addClass('badspinner'); }, 3000); }); //player.off('playing'); player.on('playing', function() { console.log('playing'); }); //player.off('adstart'); player.on('adstart', function(){ console.log("starting ads"); WVM.lastAdRequest = new Date().getTime() / 1000; playerState.AD_IS_PLAYING = true; playerState.PLAYED_AD = true; WVM.sendbeacon("adstart", true, playerState.VIDEO_ID, playerState.VIDEO_TITLE); //make sure player is at start, paused player.pause(); player.currentTime(0); }); //player.off('adend'); player.on('adend', function(){ var playPromise = null; console.log("ad end"); playerState.AD_IS_PLAYING = false; setTimeout(function(){ if(!playerState.IS_PLAYING || player.paused()){ } }, 500); WVM.lastAdRequest = new Date().getTime() / 1000; WVM.sendbeacon("adend", true, playerState.VIDEO_ID, playerState.VIDEO_TITLE); }); //player.off('timeupdate'); player.on('timeupdate', function(){ playerState.IS_PLAYING = true; var fullDuration = this.duration() * 1000; var fullCurrent = this.currentTime() * 1000; var rand = parseInt(Math.random() * 100); //console.log("timeupdate " + fullCurrent + " out of " + fullDuration); if(rand > 20){ if(fullDuration > 1 && ((fullDuration - fullCurrent) > 1) && !$('.vjs-loading-spinner').hasClass('badspinner')){ console.log("hiding spinner"); $('.vjs-loading-spinner').addClass('badspinner'); } } var duration_time = Math.floor(this.duration()); //this is a hack because the end video event is not firing... var current_time = Math.floor(this.currentTime()); if ( current_time > 0 && ( fullCurrent >= (fullDuration - 10) )){ var currId = playerState.VIDEO_ID; var newMediaId = WVM.getNextPlaylistIndex(currId); //if(playerSettings.autoplay_next && newMediaId){ if(newMediaId){ if('desktop' == "iphone" && playerState.AD_ERROR){ console.log("skipped timeupdate end"); }else{ WVM.load_video(newMediaId, true, playerState.ORIGINAL_ID); } } } if(!playerState.START_SENT){ WVM.sendbeacon('start', true, playerState.VIDEO_ID, playerState.VIDEO_TITLE); playerState.START_SENT = true; } var currentTime, duration, percent, percentPlayed, _i; currentTime = Math.round(this.currentTime()); duration = Math.round(this.duration()); percentPlayed = Math.round(currentTime / duration * 100); for (percent = _i = 0; _i <= 99; percent = _i += percentsPlayedInterval) { if (percentPlayed >= percent && __indexOf.call(playerState['PERCENTS_TRACKED'], percent) < 0) { if (percentPlayed !== 0) { WVM.sendbeacon('percent-' + percent, true, playerState.VIDEO_ID, playerState.VIDEO_TITLE); } if (percentPlayed > 0) { playerState['PERCENTS_TRACKED'].push(percent); } } } }); //player.off('ended'); player.on('ended', function(){ console.log("ended"); playerState.IS_PLAYING = false; WVM.sendbeacon("complete", true, playerState.VIDEO_ID, playerState.VIDEO_TITLE); var currId = playerState.VIDEO_ID; var newMediaId = WVM.getNextPlaylistIndex(currId); //if(playerSettings.autoplay_next && newMediaId){ if(newMediaId){ WVM.load_video(newMediaId, true, playerState.ORIGINAL_ID); }else{ console.log("Playlist complete (no more videos)"); } }); //player.off('adserror'); player.on('adserror', function(e){ //$('#ima-ad-container').remove(); WVM.lastAdRequest = new Date().getTime() / 1000; console.log(e); console.log("ads error"); var errMessage = e['data']['AdError']['l']; playerState.AD_IS_PLAYING = false; playerState.IS_PLAYING = false; // && errMessage == 'The VAST response document is empty.' if(!playerState.AD_ERROR){ var dTime = new Date().getTime(); WVM.firstPrerollTagUrl = WVM.getFirstPrerollUrl(); console.log("calling backup ad tag url: " + WVM.firstPrerollTagUrl); WVM.activePlayer.ima.changeAdTag(WVM.firstPrerollTagUrl + "?" + dTime); WVM.activePlayer.ima.requestAds(); //WVM.activePlayer.src({ // src: masterSrc, // type: 'video/mp4' //}); //WVM.firstPrerollTagUrl = ""; } playerState.AD_ERROR = true; }); //player.off('error'); player.on('error', function(event) { if (player.error().code === 4) { player.error(null); // clear out the old error player.options().sources.shift(); // drop the highest precedence source console.log("now doing src"); console.log(player.options().sources[0]); player.src(player.options().sources[0]); // retry return; } }); //player.off('volumechange'); player.on('volumechange', function(event) { console.log(event); var theHeight = $('#media-container-' + playerState.ORIGINAL_ID + ' .vjs-volume-level').css('height'); var cssVolume = 0; if(theHeight){ cssVolume = parseInt(theHeight.replace('%', '')); } var theVolume = player.volume(); if(theVolume > 0.0 || cssVolume > 0){ $('#media-container-' + playerState.ORIGINAL_ID + ' .mute-overlay').css('display', 'none'); }else{ $('#media-container-' + playerState.ORIGINAL_ID + ' .mute-overlay').css('display', 'block'); } }); WVM.reinitRawEvents(playerState.ORIGINAL_ID); setInterval(function(){ WVM.reinitRawEvents(playerState.ORIGINAL_ID); }, 2000); } if(!WVM.rawCompleteEvent){ WVM.rawCompleteEvent = function(e){ var playerState = WVM['player_state190048']; }; } if(!WVM.rawTimeupdateEvent){ WVM.rawTimeupdateEvent = function(e){ var playerState = WVM['player_state190048']; var rawVideoElem = document.getElementById('html5-video-' + playerState['ORIGINAL_ID'] + '_html5_api'); var fullCurrent = rawVideoElem.currentTime * 1000; var fullDuration = rawVideoElem.duration * 1000; var current_time = Math.floor(rawVideoElem.currentTime); console.log("raw timeupdate: " + fullCurrent + " out of " + fullDuration); if ( current_time > 0 && ( fullCurrent >= (fullDuration - 50) )){ var currId = playerState.VIDEO_ID; var newMediaId = WVM.getNextPlaylistIndex(currId); if(newMediaId){ console.log("loading new video from rawtimeupdate"); WVM.load_video(newMediaId, true, playerState.ORIGINAL_ID); } } if(!$('.vjs-loading-spinner').hasClass('badspinner')){ $('.vjs-loading-spinner').addClass('badspinner') } }; } WVM.reinitRawEvents = function(playerId){ var playerState = WVM['player_state' + playerId]; var rawVideoElem = document.getElementById('html5-video-' + WVM['player_state' + playerId]['ORIGINAL_ID'] + '_html5_api'); //COMPLETE EENT if( WVM['player_state' + playerId].COMPLETE_EVENT){ rawVideoElem.removeEventListener('ended', WVM.rawCompleteEvent, false); } rawVideoElem.addEventListener('ended', WVM.rawCompleteEvent, false); //TIME UPDATE EVENT if( WVM['player_state' + playerId].TIMEUPDATE_EVENT){ rawVideoElem.removeEventListener('ended', WVM.rawTimeupdateEvent, false); } rawVideoElem.addEventListener('ended', WVM.rawTimeupdateEvent, false); WVM['player_state' + playerId].COMPLETE_EVENT = true; WVM['player_state' + playerId].TIMEUPDATE_EVENT = true; };

WAUKESHA, Wis. (CBS 58) -- It's been just over seven months since one of the worst tragedies in southeast Wisconsin history. Six people killed and more than 60 were hurt after a man drove his SUV through the Waukesha Christmas parade. Since then, we've heard from countless people whose lives were changed forever after that day, but no one has talked to the family of the only child killed -- until now.

CBS 58's Jessob Reisbeck sat down with the Sparks family at Infinity Fields Baseball Park in Waukesha, to talk about Jackson Sparks, and a whole lot more.

"I miss his laugh. I miss a lot about that little boy," said Sheri Sparks, Jackson's mom.

Jackson Sparks was one of six people killed in the Waukesha parade attack, and by far the youngest.

"He was an amazing little kid and we're going to miss him a lot," said Aaron Sparks, Jackson's dad.

"He loved life," Aaron said. "He loved playing sports. He loved catching frogs. He loved being outside. He was a little ball of energy."

A little shy and nervous, maybe -- until you got to know him. Jackson was nothing but energy and fun. He loved to play sports, baseball more than anything. He was obsessed with the Hulk, the mosasaurus from Jurassic Park, Braun Stroman of the WWE, and LeBron James.

"We actually put a Giannis [Antetokounmpo] poster up in his bedroom and he tore it down," Sheri said. "I would say, 'Giannis is better.' He'd say, 'no, LeBron is better.'"

Jackson cheered for the Yankees and Aaron Judge.

"Marched to the beat of his own drum," Sheri said.

"He liked what he liked. He did what he did," said Aaron.

"And he'd fight you for it," Sheri said.

The Sparks family is full of fighters, and of faith, believing that their son and brother is in a better place, pain free and waiting for them.

"We'll meet him again in heaven. He got there first and he'll show us around when we get there. He'll be our tour guide, but we'll see him again," Aaron said.

Jackson was an organ donor and helped five people after he passed, including a little girl who got his heart. Sheri hopes to meet her one day.

Family opens up for the 1st time about Jackson Sparks, boy killed in Waukesha parade tragedy (2024)
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