Highland Park parade shooting victim Nicolas Toledo’s family will always remember him as their hero

A plaque in memory of Nicolas Toledo sits in the memorial rose garden outside Highland Park City Hall for the seven people killed in the mass shooting at last year’s Highland Park Fourth of July parade. (Ashlee Rezin / Sun-Times)

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, Nicolas Toledo hadn’t seen his family in Highland Park for about three years.

Finally last summer, his children thought it was safe, and he came from Mexico to stay with them, bouncing among their homes. He might spend a day fishing with one of his sons or coloring with his grandchildren at the home of one of his daughters.