By Nicolette Helling & photojournalist Jeff Ernewein, FOX 21 News

ASHLAND - A trademark of David Genszler's impact on the Ashland community is his art parades. On Saturday, that's how his friends and family kicked off a fundraiser to bring him home.

"Everybody in this community knows David Genszler and because of that we just wanted to give back what he has done for us," said Debra Lewis.

On April 23, Elizabeth Madsen–Genszler turned to go inside her home and heard her husband David fall down the porch steps.

"It was just kind of this fluke thing that he had a break at the C4, C5... So just a total freaky accident, just unexpected," said Elizabeth.

David's fall has left him paralyzed from the neck down – a devastating reality for anyone, but especially for a lifelong artist.

"It's been a lot and you know the thing that's really made this all so manageable is that we haven't done this alone," said Elizabeth.

"We hope that David knows how much we care for him and love him," said Lewis.

Lewis has worked for months to organize Saturday's event for David.

"He is a big man, he had big ideas and he made big art," said Lewis.

And Saturday was about celebrating one man's artistic contribution to the community he loves.

Down the streets of Ashland, the parade for David brought color to an otherwise gloomy day.

"Rain does not matter. Makes it more interesting!" said one paradegoer.

"Adds a little spice to it, you know?" said another.

Ranging from the abstract to the animal-inspired, amateur artists of all ages created their own masterpieces for Saturday's parade.

Friends of David's who gathered on Saturday say it is truly a tragedy that a man who brings so much joy to his community through the creation of art is no longer physically able to do so.

But, they say, they're also confident David will find a new way to make art.

And at Saturday's parade it seemed David's art may have successfully captured the spirit of a community.

"I'm loading the fruit-loop gun!" said an enthusiastic parade marcher, before launching a colorful volley over the crowd.

Saturday's parade was followed by music, dinner and art auctions to support David Genszler and his family.

Donations to help the Genszler family with medical bills and converting their home into a facility that can support David's needs can be mailed to:

Northern State Bank, PO Box 617, Ashland, WI 54806