Tag: waukesha

Teen Zuza Beine, who inspired millions on social media, dies after long cancer battle

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GRATEFUL. A WAUKESHA TEEN INSPIRING MILLIONS ON SOCIAL MEDIA PASSED AWAY FROM CANCER THIS WEEK. ZUZA BINEY BATTLED FOR 11 OF HER 14 YEARS OF HER LIFE AND AS 12 NEWS REPORTS, SHE DID IT WITH A GRACE AND COMPASSION THAT REALLY GAVE PEOPLE HOPE. SWEET HONEY BEE AND IF I WAS A TREE GROWING ZOZIBINI. LIKE MANY 14 YEAR OLD GIRLS, LOVED CLOTHES. LOVE SKINCARE. THESE ARE LITERALLY LIKE MY FAVORITE SKINCARE PRODUCT EVER. LOVED TAYLOR SWIFT. SWIFT. I LOVE YOU, BUT SPEND A FEW SECONDS SCROLLING THE WAUKESHA TEENS SOCIAL MEDIA. GET READY WITH ME WHILE I TELL YOU MY CANCER JOURNEY AND YOU’LL SEE THE STRUGGLE SHE SO BRAVELY SHARED WITH THE WORLD. AT JUST THREE YEARS OLD, ZUZA WAS DIAGNOSED WITH ACUTE MYELOID LEUKEMIA, WHICH IS A BLOOD CANCER THAT IS MOST COMMONLY FOUND IN OLDER PEOPLE. YOU’RE NOT ABLE TO GO AND HAVE PLAYDATES, AND YOU’RE NOT ABLE TO GO TO THE MALL. THIS PLATFORM IN HER REACH FILLED THAT FOR HER. HER GODMOTHER, ELLEN MENEFEE, WATCHED AS ZUZA, IN SPITE OF HER ILLNESS, GREW RESILIENT AND STRONG. HER FOLLOWING GREW TO WITH MILLIONS OF SUPPORTERS ON TIKTOK AND INSTAGRAM. I DIDN’T DO MUCH TODAY BESIDES GO TO THE HOSPITAL FOR CHEMO. HER FAMILY’S ANNOUNCEMENT OF SOUSA’S PASSING TUESDAY HEARTBREAKING FOR THE ONLINE COMMUNITY THAT CALLED HER A FRIEND. SHE TOOK HER FOLLOWERS ON THAT JOURNEY. AND SHE SHARED THE INCREDIBLE MOMENTS OF TRIUMPH. AND SHE SHARED THE RAW MOMENTS. HOW RARE IS THAT COURAGE AT SOMEONE HER AGE NOW? I. I DON’T I DON’T KNOW, I DON’T KNOW ANOTHER 14 YEAR OLD LIKE ZUZA, I NEVER WILL. THE LESSONS THAT SHE TAUGHT US AND TAUGHT ADULTS TAUGHT HER FOLLOWERS HER PLATFORM, THEY’RE LESSONS THAT EVEN, YOU KNOW, MANY OF US DON’T. WE HAVEN’T FIGURED OUT OURSELVES. HER FAMILY FORCED TO FIGURE OUT THIS NEW WORLD WITHOUT ZUZA, LOOKS BACK ON THE DOZENS OF VIDEOS WHERE SHE’S LAUGHING, SMILING AND LIVING. THAT’S THE LESSON. PERHAPS ZUZA LEFT BEHIND. SHE NEVER FOCUSED ON HER DYING. SHE WAS WAY TOO BUSY LIVING, AND SUPPORTERS HAVE STARTED A GOFUNDME TO HELP THE FAMILY PAY FOR THE MANY MEDICAL BILLS AND FUNERAL COSTS. WE’LL HAVE THAT LINKED ON THE 12 NEWS APP. AND I ASKED ELLEN WHAT LESSONS ZUZA WOULD WANT PEOPLE TO TAKE AWAY FROM HER SOCIAL MEDIA. SHE SAYS ABOVE ALL, BE KIND AND BE GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE HARDSHIPS ENDURED. ELLEN SAYS THAT SHE WAS GRATEFUL FOR THE LIFE SHE HAD. JUST SUCH A POWERFU

Teen Zuza Beine, who inspired millions on social media, dies after long cancer battle

Zuza Beine, a 14-year-old from Wisconsin, bravely shared her cancer journey on TikTok and Instagram to millions of followers

Updated: 10:07 AM PDT Sep 26, 2025

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Zuza Beine, a 14-year-old from Waukesha, Wisconsin, who inspired millions by sharing her cancer journey on social media, passed away this week after battling the disease for most of her life.Zuza, like many 14-year-old girls, loved clothes, skincare, and Taylor Swift. But spend a few seconds scrolling through her social media, and you’ll see the struggle she bravely shared with the world. Zuza was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia at just 3 years old. AML is a blood cancer, more commonly found in adults. Her TikTok account, with 2.8 million followers, has videos that range from her trying new skincare products to viral “get ready with me” videos where she dives into explaining her cancer journey. “You’re not able to go have play dates. You’re not able to go to the mall,” said Ellen Menefee, Zuza’s godmother. “This platform and her reach filled that for her.”Menefee said Zuza’s online presence and friends online often filled the void left by her illness. Despite her illness, Zuza grew resilient and strong, amassing millions of supporters on TikTok and Instagram. Her family’s announcement of her passing on Tuesday was heartbreaking for the online community that considered her a friend.”She took her followers on that journey. And she shared the incredible moments of triumph, and she shared the raw moments,” Menefee said.Zuza’s followers cheered her on through her many treatments and multiple bone marrow transplants. But Menefee said Zuza did have to build a thick skin against the unkind parts of social media, too.”I don’t, don’t know another 14-year-old like Zuza. I never will,” she said. “The lessons that she taught us. Taught adults, taught her followers, her platform — they’re lessons that many of us haven’t figured out ourselves.”Zuza’s family is now cherishing the videos where she is laughing, smiling, and living. “She never focused on her dying. She was way too busy living,” Menefee said. Supporters have started a GoFundMe to help with medical bills and funeral costs.

Zuza Beine, a 14-year-old from Waukesha, Wisconsin, who inspired millions by sharing her cancer journey on social media, passed away this week after battling the disease for most of her life.

Zuza, like many 14-year-old girls, loved clothes, skincare, and Taylor Swift. But spend a few seconds scrolling through her social media, and you’ll see the struggle she bravely shared with the world.

Zuza was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia at just 3 years old. AML is a blood cancer, more commonly found in adults. Her TikTok account, with 2.8 million followers, has videos that range from her trying new skincare products to viral “get ready with me” videos where she dives into explaining her cancer journey.

“You’re not able to go have play dates. You’re not able to go to the mall,” said Ellen Menefee, Zuza’s godmother. “This platform and her reach filled that for her.”

Menefee said Zuza’s online presence and friends online often filled the void left by her illness. Despite her illness, Zuza grew resilient and strong, amassing millions of supporters on TikTok and Instagram. Her family’s announcement of her passing on Tuesday was heartbreaking for the online community that considered her a friend.

“She took her followers on that journey. And she shared the incredible moments of triumph, and she shared the raw moments,” Menefee said.

Zuza’s followers cheered her on through her many treatments and multiple bone marrow transplants. But Menefee said Zuza did have to build a thick skin against the unkind parts of social media, too.

“I don’t, don’t know another 14-year-old like Zuza. I never will,” she said. “The lessons that she taught us. Taught adults, taught her followers, her platform — they’re lessons that many of us haven’t figured out ourselves.”

Zuza’s family is now cherishing the videos where she is laughing, smiling, and living.

“She never focused on her dying. She was way too busy living,” Menefee said.

Supporters have started a GoFundMe to help with medical bills and funeral costs.

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September 26, 2025
Thousands gather in Waukesha to honor slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk

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WAUKESHA – Some held candles. Many others chanted “USA! USA!” and “Charlie!”

Several thousand people gathered at Cutler Park in Waukesha on Sept. 16 for a ceremony remembering Charlie Kirk, the right-wing activist who was assassinated in Utah last week.

The event, organized by Wisconsin Young Republicans, is one of many vigils and services around the country held in honor of Kirk. The Waukesha event appeared to attract thousands of attendees, though an official head count was not immediately available.

Kirk, 31, was shot on Sept. 10 while speaking on the first stop of his “American Comeback Tour” on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.

Tyler Rob inson, 22, is accused of shooting and killin g Kirk.

Former Gov. Scott Walker talked to the crowd about Kirk’s ability to connect with students.

“Many young people have lost a leader,” Walker said. “A leader who gave them a voice, who let them know that they could speak out for their values.”

Walker, who is now president of the Young America’s Foundation, earlier said his youth conservative organization will review security at its events but won’t stop holding them on college campuses.

Brett Galaszewski, a field director in Wisconsin for the Kirk-founded Turning Point Action, praised the large crowd, saying Kirk would be proud of the turnout — and said he was especially proud of the work the group had done in Wisconsin.

Galaszewski said the last time they spoke a few weeks ago, Kirk had told him, “Proud of you, man.”

Other speakers at the event included Waukesha County Executive Paul Farrow, former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, and state Sen. Julian Bradley.

Kirk became a prominent figure nationally as a conservative influencer and as the co-founder of Turning Point USA, an organization that pushes for conservative politics on high school and college campuses.

Kirk became known as a fierce ― and controversial ― debater. He engaged in topics such as Second Amendment rights, race, gender, sexuality and religion, often fielding debates with young people.

Since his killing, local officials, educators and others have faced firings and social media backlash in recent days for online posts about his death, drawing harassment and death threats.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has praised Kirk for his work building support for Trump among young people, saying at a vigil in Washington, D.C., that Trump’s win in November 2024 was “fueled in no small part by the tireless work of Charlie, the Turning Point organization that he built from scratch out of a garage.”

More: A look at Charlie Kirk and Turning Point USA’s political involvement in Wisconsin

Turning Point USA has a Midwest office in Waukesha. Since his death, his memorial on the Turning Point USA grounds has grown as residents pay tribute to the 31-year-old figure. Kirk also spoke at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on July 15, 2024, alongside U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and then-South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, who now serves as the Secretary of Homeland Security.

(This story is developing and will update.)

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Thousands gather in Waukesha to mourn right-wing activist Charlie Kirk

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September 16, 2025
Milwaukee Dancing Grannies planning return to Waukesha

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One year later and emotions are still high. The Milwaukee Dancing Grannies lost four members of their community when a man drove through the Waukesha Christmas Parade in November 2021. He killed six people total that day and injured nearly 70 others. Walking in this parade again brings back memories from that fatal day. “Knowing that our fallen four are not here with us but then also going back to Waukesha knowing that that’s where their last steps were,” said Jean Knutson, Milwaukee Dancing Grannies co-leader. The group plans to honor its fallen members on Sunday. “We are carrying poster-size pictures of the fallen four, some family members will be joining us,” Knutson said. The Grannies are also planning to hang out gift bags with ‘Granny Strong’ and ‘Waukesha Strong’ bracelets inside. It’s their way of saying thank you to the community for their love and support. “It’s the love and support of the communities that are empowering us to make us continue to move forward,” Knutson said. The group is a sisterhood that’s been bonded by tragedy but taking steps toward healing. “We’re building new memories but never forgetting what we had,” Knutson said.Details of the 2022 Waukesha Christmas Parade:Waukesha Christmas Parade (waukesha-wi.gov)

BURLINGTON, Wis. —

One year later and emotions are still high.

The Milwaukee Dancing Grannies lost four members of their community when a man drove through the Waukesha Christmas Parade in November 2021. He killed six people total that day and injured nearly 70 others.

Walking in this parade again brings back memories from that fatal day.

“Knowing that our fallen four are not here with us but then also going back to Waukesha knowing that that’s where their last steps were,” said Jean Knutson, Milwaukee Dancing Grannies co-leader.

The group plans to honor its fallen members on Sunday.

“We are carrying poster-size pictures of the fallen four, some family members will be joining us,” Knutson said.

The Grannies are also planning to hang out gift bags with ‘Granny Strong’ and ‘Waukesha Strong’ bracelets inside. It’s their way of saying thank you to the community for their love and support.

“It’s the love and support of the communities that are empowering us to make us continue to move forward,” Knutson said.

The group is a sisterhood that’s been bonded by tragedy but taking steps toward healing.

“We’re building new memories but never forgetting what we had,” Knutson said.

Details of the 2022 Waukesha Christmas Parade:

Waukesha Christmas Parade (waukesha-wi.gov)

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December 4, 2022