FORT MYERS, FLA — Christmas is just 5 days away and for one Fort Myers couple... the Carswell's - they go all out spending weeks decorating to make sure their yard is perfect for the community. You can't miss their home... it's right off McGregor Boulevard in Fort Myers. But for Darlene and Robert Carswell it's so much more than just lights.. they tell me their home truly brings the community together especially after Hurricane Ian. They hope it brings peace and hope to all of us this Christmas.
Robert Carswell an Army Veteran spends weeks preparing their home to be a local light spectacular and it all began with his wife Darlene. "My wife loves Christmas she says this is the best time of year so I started out just doing it for her and then I got better and better."
Darlene and Robert Carswell tell me they've been decorating their home here on Marben Drive for 22 years adding, "It’s a little bit for everybody a little bit of spiritual little bit of Christmas."
And this year they're grateful they were able to keep the tradition going... as we know how many of us were and are still affected by Hurricane Ian.
They saw at least 4 feet of water coming up the outside of their door
"We were praying like everybody else," says Robert.
But somehow their decorations made it yet they weren't sure at first if they should bring everything out until... "We went out to the community and talked to folks. They said hey I recognize you you’re the Christmas house and it’s like yeah we are and they said are you going to put up Christmas and they said well you’ve seen our house it seems like it’s too much and they said no no it’s going to be happy for the community we need this right now."
So on October 15th Robert started with the tree like usual and everything was complete by Thanksgiving. Darlene says hundreds of people stop by every night. And it's about the community and stories they hear every day.
Darlene says, "As a reporter you go out and you find these stories as the community Christmas house here people come to us with their stories. We have heard of healing‘s that have occurred with people just in their heart where they couldn’t forgive and now they can. One woman at the manger one night said I’m going to tell you a story and said she was on her way to jump off a bridge and our lights were on and she came back and stood in front of the manger and there she the voice say wait one more day and that intensity off taking her life. Parents or husbands or wives or children have passed away this year. They’ve lost their homes due to a fire, due to Ian... we hear all kinds of stories and we just welcome them into our hearts and into our prayers."
And in case you were wondering they also decorate the inside of their home - it's not open to the public but in the video above you see a first hand look of the inside of their home.
Darlene adds, "It’s not that we do it for ourselves we do it for the community."
And among the village - you'll find Darlene and Robert Carswell wishing you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
And if you are wondering if their bills are a little higher from all those lights - they tell me it quadruples but their happy with that saying with a laugh it's their 10% to the public.
