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Man killed, family seeks help with repairs
A Waukesha man who said his son was hit by a dump truck and killed earlier this month needs the public’s help while he grieves.
WAUKESHA, Wis. - A Waukesha man who said his son was killed earlier this month needs the public’s help while he grieves.
Home in need of repair
What they're saying:
"That door is being replaced and there’s a bunch of work back here to be worked on," said Patrick Bautch.
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Bautch said his home is a mess. He said after 18 years and eight kids, repairs took a backseat to life.
"Sometimes when it rains, water actually drips down here," he added, pointing to an exposed wall.
Patrick Bautch walks FOX6 through home in need of repairs
Bautch spent weeks trying to fix leaks and windows and relied on friends from church to help. But since July 6, he said it’s the cracks in the home you cannot see that made him want to sell the house as quickly as possible.
"There’s still an investigation going on," he said.
Crash on Highway 164
The backstory:
Patrick Bautch’s son, Noah, was walking along 164 and Lawnsdale in the village of Waukesha when he was killed on July 6.
"Somehow he was on – he was hit by a dump truck," Bautch said.
Scene on State Highway 164
The Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department said the case remains open. The 22-year-old died at the scene. Noah was Bautch's oldest son. He said it’s just too painful living in his home now, knowing Noah cannot be with him.
"It’s very haunting. I think back – every moment I had with him floods my mind," Bautch said.
Help for Bautch family
What you can do:
The family started a GoFundMe to speed up repairs and get the house on the market as soon as they can. He estimates the family needs at least $25,000 to make the house sellable. The heartache will not be as easy to repair.
"I sit down at the table and remember him being right there. So much of his life was here," Bautch said.
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The family cannot even drive near the area where Noah was killed. For that reason, they plan to leave Waukesha.
Portions of this article were formatted using A.I. FOX6’s Bret Lemoine and an editor reviewed it for accuracy and tone prior to publishing.
The Source: Information in this story was gathered from Patrick Bautch and the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department.