FAYETTE COUNTY, Ga. — A lightning strike destroyed a barn where a Fayette County family kept supplies for their popular Christmas lights display.
“When it comes this time of year, this is our life, and we love it that way,” said Gwen Gaddy, who along with her husband, Mike, dress up their property on Sandy Creek Road with a spectacle of lights and decorations.
“There’s not a day that goes by that somebody doesn’t say ‘You don’t know it, but you are a part of our family Christmas tradition,’” she told Channel 2′s Bryan Mims.
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But on Tuesday afternoon, a lightning strike set the building on fire, destroying all the wiring for the light show that has delighted crowds for 36 years.
“It was a punch in the gut, no doubt about it,” Mike Gaddy said.
Not only was the wiring destroyed, but several Christmas decorations and two tractors that belonged to his father.
“Standing here, I can see my daddy riding that tractor,” he said through tears. “Because my dad rode that tractor 60 years ago.”
Since the fire, the community has shown its giving spirit, inspiring the couple to keep the show going.
“We’re going to get it done, and I see now that we’ve got friends that are willing to do anything that we need,” Gwen Gaddy said. “If it’s lunch or if it’s a bottle of water or a roll of wire, I think we’re going to get through this just fine.”
Still, as they walked among the ruins, tears came easily.
“I’m heartbroken for him because of his sentimental losses,” Gwen said, referring to her husband who built the barn decades ago with his father. “But I’m really thankful to have my home and a place to go to.”
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Despite the loss of the barn, Gwen Gaddy said most of the Christmas decorations and lights were stored in trailers elsewhere on the property – and they’re intact.
The Gaddys just need new wiring to make the lights glow come Christmastime.
“Even though this has been a horrible experience for us, I believe it’s going to be turned into a blessing,” she said.
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