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When soccer fans come to Kansas City this summer, they will have the chance to see 150 hearts as art spread across 70 different cities.
Three of the installations are from the McGinnis' family, who are amplifying their message of love through art.
"I’m just a man on a mission to spread the love," James McGinnis said.
After a head injury in a high school football game left James McGinnis in a coma for five days in 2014, painting became one of his ways to fulfill that mission.
"Art is everything now," James said. "It's simply beautiful."
His installation, soccer themed, is part of the Parade of Hearts. This is his third year participating in the event — but this time, he is not alone.
His parents also have hearts being displayed.
"Yeah, it means everything," James said.
The family spent months living and working with three, six-foot hearts inside their home.
"It was kind of like, 'How are we going to manage all these hearts in our house?"' James' dad, Patrick McGinnis said. "So we actually had them all in the entryway, and you had to move them around just to get through the front door."
The family's installations will be together for the last time at 150 United, an event Saturday at the Overland Park Convention Center.
Before the sculptures are shipped to their respective locations next this week, they will be among 147 other six-foot heart sculpture at the convention center.
"Every time I walk through, I feel like I’m picking a different favorite," said Keli O’Neill Wenzel, the director for the event that is bringing all the hearts together.
"The Parade of Hearts is a perfect example of bringing people together and celebrating the city," Amy Unruh said. Unruh is the director of strategic communications for the Kauffman Foundation, which sponsors some of the hearts. "It shows how unified Kansas City is."
That is exactly what the McGinnis family hopes to accomplish with their hearts.
"We really hope to welcome the world here with a message of, 'Hey, we’re all connected,'" Patrick McGinnis said.
His son agreed.
"I just want everyone to get the message of spreading love through sports," James McGinnis said. "And my key saying is, 'Love all and fear none.'"
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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