Aiden McCarthy, a 2 ½-year-old boy left orphaned by the mass capturing on the Highland Park Fourth of July parade Monday, survived as a result of his father shielded him along with his physique, in line with his grandfather.

Kevin McCarthy, 37, died defending his son, stated Michael Levberg, whose 35-year-old daughter Irina — McCarthy’s spouse and Aiden’s mom — additionally was among the many seven folks killed as they watched the parade.

“He had Aiden beneath his physique when he was shot,” the father-in-law stated.

When he picked up his grandson on the Highland Park police station, Levberg stated Aiden advised him, “Mommy and Daddy are coming quickly.”

Additionally wounded was Aiden’s paternal grandmother Margo McCarthy, who helped with childcare and had gone along with her son and daughter-in-law to the parade.

“She was holding Aiden when the capturing began,” her cousin Montgomery Kersten stated, and was struck within the neck and an ear and handled for her accidents.

Her son was struck by a bullet within the femoral artery, mortally wounded, Kersten stated.

“As she fell, Aiden was beneath his father,” Kersten stated. “I’m positive it was God searching for him. The Lord saved Aiden and saved Margo.

“Simply a few millimeters to the suitable,” and Aiden’s grandmother would have suffered a mind harm, he stated.

Irina McCarthy, an solely youngster, “was the love of my life,” her father stated. “She was every thing.”

Born in Russia, she settled within the Chicago space along with her immigrant father and mom, Nina Levberg. She labored as a waitress and attended Stevenson Excessive College in Lincolnshire and DePaul College earlier than touchdown a job in digital advertising and marketing within the pharmaceutical business, her father stated.

He stated she met her husband Kevin — who labored for a gene remedy startup —via her job in prescription drugs.

After the shootings, Aiden “was strolling on the street,” his grandfather stated. Photographs started circulating of the little boy alone.

“A neighbor handed by, she confirmed me the image, it was Aiden,” Levberg stated. “I picked him up on the police station.”

A GoFundMe web page arrange for the little boy stated: “Aiden can be cared for by his loving household and he could have an extended street forward to heal, discover stability, and in the end navigate life as an orphan. He’s surrounded by a group of pals and prolonged household that can embrace him with love, and any means accessible to make sure he has every thing he wants as he grows.

The web fundraiser stated it goals to assist “to assist him and the caregivers who can be tasked with elevating, caring for, and supporting Aiden as he and his assist system embark on this sudden journey.”

The McCarthys had been trying ahead to the parade and going to see it with Aiden, Levberg stated.

“They had been loopy about their youngster,” he stated, his voice breaking. “They had been planning two.”

Kevin McCarthy can also be survived by his father Michael and sister Katie, Kersten stated.

“We’re going to hitch forces to assist Aiden right here,” Kersten stated, “and to do the very best we are able to to assist our nation attempt to forestall these occasions from taking place sooner or later.”

Early Tuesday night, the couple’s our bodies had not but been launched to their households.

“We don’t know what to do,” Levberg stated.

Jacqueline Sundheim, 63, of Highland Park, a synagogue preschool instructor, additionally was amongst these killed Monday.

In a letter despatched to her synagogue’s members, North Shore Congregation Israel Rabbi Wendi Geffen stated Sundheim had attended the synagogue her entire life and labored there for many years.

“Jacki’s work, kindness and heat touched us all, from her educating on the Gates of Studying Preschool to guiding innumerable amongst us via life’s moments of pleasure and sorrow, all of this with tireless dedication,” Geffen wrote.

Three of the 4 others who died within the parade bloodbath had been recognized Tuesday by Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek as:

The title of the seventh individual killed hasn’t been launched.

Contributing: Elvia Malagon, Manny Ramos