- See related: Lind family statement issued Tuesday and a family press conference Tuesday at the Stone Bank Fire Department
Keith Hanson had watched his daughter, Maelyn Lind, fight her way through financial trouble and work three jobs to support her four children.
He had seen her inner strength and compassion.
So Hanson wasn't surprised when he learned from coworkers and police that his daughter, 38, had risked her own life to save a fellow Azana Salon & Spa employee from a gunman. He believes that fellow employee was Yasmeen Daniel, the daughter of Zina Haughton, 42, the principal target in Sunday's shooting and Lind's close friend.
"Maelyn had stepped in front of the gun and took the bullet when he was going to shoot her," Hanson told Patch on Monday.
"My daughter is an angel," he said, his voice choking with emotion. "She took a bullet for her friend’s daughter."
Lind, Haughton and a third coworker, Cary Robuck, 35, of Racine, all died at the spa shortly after it opened Sunday morning. Brookfield police say they were gunned down by Haughton's husband, Radcliffe Haughton, 45, of Brown Deer, whom Zina was preparing to divorce and against whom she had obtained a restraining order days before after domestic violence issues escalated.
Hanson said his daughter and his wife, Marsha, knew about the Haughtons' tensions.
"Marsha told her (Lind), 'You better be careful' – and oh my God, here it happened," Hanson said.
Daughter worked hard to get ahead
Hanson said Lind grew up in Oconomowoc, attending St. Paul Lutheran Church and then graduating from Arrowhead High School and Erik's of Norway, where she finished in the top five of her cosmetology class.
She and her husband Tim had four children, a daughter, 19, and three sons, 17, 13 and 11. They have two new grandchildren, a grandson born in August and granddaughter born in September.
"She was my baby for 38 years," her father said. "I have four beautiful grandkids from her, and now I have a great grandson. She was just aglow about it."
Maelyn Lind had worked for Lake Country Hair Design and had many of her own clients whom she cared for in her several homes over the years. Hanson, a contractor, had helped her build salon spaces in those homes. About 16 years ago, he built her a brand new house, right next door to him and his wife.
His daughter had run into financial problems in recent years, trying to live higher than her lifestyle, he said, in part to keep up an image with her Azana clients. She ultimately had to file for bankruptcy and was working hard to dig out of it, with her parents' help.
She was working three jobs, including long hours at Azana, for other local clients she had had for years and as a part-time secretary at her father's shop.
But she still made time for her children and parents, whom she loved dearly.
"I don’t know how we’re going to make it through this without her," her father said.
Co-workers, community show support
Hanson said he was overwhelmed by the "massive outpouring of friendship" from Azana staff who have reached out to Lind's family. Donations for the Lind family can be sent to BMO Harris Bank, 1433 Pabst Farm Circle in Oconomowoc.
Hanson and the Linds' 19-year-old daughter Kaela plan to speak at a conference Tuesday afternoon at Stone Bank Elementary School in Oconomowoc. [UPDATE: the conference has been changed to 7:30 p.m. at the Stone Bank Fire Department, W335 N7107 Stone Bank Road.]
"She said it’s what her mother would have wanted," Hanson said, "so I agreed."
- See related: St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran held a vigil Monday night in memory of Lind, with a video report by WISN-TV (Channel 12).
This is very sad and my heart breaks for everyone involved. However, we must use our brains and realize law abiding citizens deserve the right to protect themselves. I have had someone threaten to kill me and I have been an employee in two armed bank robberies. That is why I choose to protect myself. The only way my origional comment relates to me is that I wouldn't patronize that business because of their short sighted policy. I see the criminal safe zone sign and I turn around and find another business. It is that simple. God bless everyone involved in these tragic events.
It is right that we all feel unsafe, as sad as this statement is. This is a world that is increasingly frightening to live in sometimes. This shouldn't have happened, and it is impossible to say whether it could have been prevented by better gun laws, more efficient follow up in restraining order regulations(Radcliffe Haughton was ordered to surrender any guns and there was reportedly no follow up procedure to ensure that this happened, and he was able to purchase a gun shortly before the shooting), etc. Perhaps it would have happened no matter what. It remains shocking, heartbreaking, and incredibly sad. I truly hope that there may be changes eventually to reduce the number of stories just like this. Seems like a lofty goal at this point. In the meantime, I am praying for all of the victims, their families, and loved ones who have been most affected by this.
The fact is YOU made the choice to work in a bank, obviously a high-risk occupation for gun violence, so it makes sense for you to have protection. You also have the choice to avoid places that don't allow weapons & I support that right as well. But it doesn't make sense for the average person to arm themselves just in case they happen to be involved in a random tragedy like this. They're not likely to be able to use a gun to protect anyone--they're far more likely to use it to "fool around", "show off", or lose their temper and try to "teach someone a lesson." Don't assume I'm naive, I lived in Detroit for over 30 years. Any of the times I've had a gun pointed at me I didn't feel I'd be protected by having one myself--in fact, if they would have seen I was armed then I'm pretty sure they would have pulled the trigger!! I learned how to shoot a rifle as a kid, but I do not wish to spend my time learning how to be better at killing someone, even in self-defense, so I no longer live in the city.
Also if someone threatens to kill you believe them. Take the kids and run! Don't wait to find out if they are serious. The person who treatened me attempted to follow through only to meet four police cars and eight cops.