Husband Decorates Every House On His Block To Give His Wife A Lasting Christmas Memory After Her Diagnosis
"I thought she deserved to see some Christmas lights this year."
Roman Samborskyi | Shutterstock The holiday season is a time to make meaningful and lasting memories with loved ones.
One man, 74-year-old John Reichart, took this to heart and was determined to give his Christmas-loving wife Joan the best festive season ever following a heartbreaking diagnosis.
A husband decorated every house on his block to give his wife a lasting Christmas memory after her Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
In an interview with the Washington Post, John explained that Joan was first diagnosed four years ago, and in 2022, the couple moved back to their hometown of Indianola, Iowa, so that their relatives could help with her care.
Around three months ago, Joan suddenly asked John, "Where are all the Christmas decorations?" while relaxing in the living room.
"We got engaged on Christmas Eve in 1970, and she’s always loved Christmas," John told the news outlet, adding that he and his wife have been married for almost 54 years.
"I hadn’t done much holiday decorating since we moved back because I’d been working so hard to look after her and keep her happy," he continued. "But when she wondered about the decorations, I thought she deserved to see some Christmas lights this year."
Just a few days later, John created a winter wonderland for his wife. He knew from previous years that most people on his block didn't decorate their homes for the holidays, so he went door-to-door to all 18 homes on his street, asking if he could hang lighted trees in their front yards.
"Everybody was in favor. They said, let's get 'er done," John said while appearing on the radio talkshow 'As It Happens' with host Nil Kӧksal.
He explained that it was a labor of love that took over two months to complete.
"It was just an amazing thing," he said. "It took a while because I'm nursing a bad foot. But I'd go down the street with my little power wheelchair, pulling the wagon with Christmas decorations, ornaments, and stuff on it."
Many of the husband's neighbors agreed after hearing the couple's moving story.
Frank Ewurs, a neighbor of the couple, told The Washington Post that only a few of their neighbors had put up decorations because the subdivision was new and many residents didn't have children. He admitted that he became emotional after walking down to John and Joan's house and hearing their story.
"I sat there with him and he told me all of this, and I could sense that he got a little lonely at times," Ewurs said. "Here he was, putting together all of these decorations and setting them up. I felt he shouldn’t have to take on everything on his own, so I offered to help."
Another of John's neighbors, Donna Bahun, insisted that she too wanted to help after seeing the amount of time that John was spending in his garage. "I went over to see what he was doing, and he said he was putting together 9-foot, lighted trees for everyone in the neighborhood," Bahun recalled.
She was worried that John would injure himself so she carried some of the finished trees to nearby homes, including her own. For houses that were a bit farther away, John hooked up a small trailer to his mobility scooter to easily haul the trees and lawn ornaments. He then hired a lighting company to install the house lights he’d purchased for everyone.
John ended up spending thousands of dollars from his savings on the decorations, but he had no regrets, admitting it was worth it to see his wife’s face light up.
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"Every dime was well spent. I'll do anything to make her happy," she said. "It breaks my heart to see the change in her, so it’s nice to do something uplifting."
While his wife doesn't 'speak much' anymore, she did tell him that the lights were 'pretty.'
The couple often sit in their garage with the heat turned all the way up at nighttime and wave at all of the cars that drive by to see the lights. John even hands out cups of hot chocolate to everyone who visits the street, which neighbors have nicknamed Christmas Wish Lane.
Ewurs started a card campaign after John told him the only thing he wanted in return for his efforts was a Christmas card. He is asking people to mail cards to John Reichart, care of Frank Ewurs, at P.O. Box 133, Indianola, Iowa, 50125. Ewurs and his wife, Mandy Ewurs, also started a GoFundMe page, hoping to raise enough funds for John to buy a shed to store the neighborhood’s new decorations.
John shared that he plans to keep this tradition alive for as long as possible.
"Seeing my wife’s reaction to all of this warms me up," he said. "Even when she’s gone, I’d like to continue doing this in her memory. Every Christmas, I want to see the whole block light up."
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.