APPLETON (WLUK) — A citation was issued against the man who damaged a sculpture along the Avenue of Ice in downtown Appleton.
Over the weekend, a man was caught on camera picking up the ice sculpture, which depicted two hands making the shape of a heart, and throwing it to the ground. The piece was sponsored by the Center for Suicide Awareness, a Kaukauna-based nonprofit, as part of the annual Avenue of Ice event on College Avenue.
After police released surveillance images of the man on social media Monday, the suspect turned himself in to the Appleton Police Department and was “cooperative with the investigation.”
In an update Wednesday, police identified the man as a 21-year-old from Appleton, but did not release his name. According to a news release, he was cited for violating the city’s damage to property ordinance, with a judgement of $389.50 handed down.
Police say it cost $425 for the Center for Suicide Awareness to have the sculpture made. It was on display for less than 24 hours before it was destroyed.
As FOX 11 previously reported, Krystal Kleer Ice Sculptures, LLC tried to restore the heart sculpture, but they were unable to fix it. Appleton Downtown, Inc. is making a donation to the Center for Suicide Awareness as a result of the incident.
CSA said in a Facebook post Wednesday they have received “clarity” about what led to the late-night vandalism incident.
“He expressed deep regret for his actions, shared that he was having a very difficult day and personally wrote a letter to our executive director asking for forgiveness and offering to volunteer his time to make amends,” the post reads.
CSA went on to say:
We know many in the community are upset. We understand that reaction. The sculpture represented something meaningful — connection, compassion, and the reminder that no one has to struggle alone.But we also believe something else.At our core, the work of the Center for Suicide Awareness is about recognizing that people have hard days. Sometimes very hard days. It’s about acknowledging that emotions can overwhelm us. It’s about choosing support, accountability, and healing instead of shame.It takes strength to admit when you are wrong. It takes courage to step forward, accept responsibility, and ask for forgiveness. Those are the very values we work to promote every day.We do not excuse harmful behavior. At the same time, we believe in growth, learning, and second chances. If we truly stand for mental health awareness, then we must also stand for compassion — and the belief that people can choose to do better.Comment with Bubbles
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Let this moment be a reminder: when someone is struggling, connection matters. Accountability matters. And kindness matters.