Bethpage homes don Christmas decorations to support neighbor

BETHPAGE, N.Y. (WCBS 880) — Instead of hearts and cupids, homes on one Long Island block have Santa figurines on their front lawns and Christmas lights hanging from their gutters.

Neighbors are lighting up their homes on Berkshire Road in Bethpage to support 31-year-old Sara Pascucci, who is grieving the loss of her father and aunt to COVID-19.

They are putting their Christmas decorations back up for a special Valentine’s Day tribute to support Pascucci after she received a nasty anonymous note criticizing her for still having her holiday lights up in February.

The letter, with no return address, turned up in a number of mailboxes on the block last week. It read, “Take your Christmas lights down! It’s Valentines Day!!!!!!”

Pascucci was shocked when she read the note. She said after having to plan two funerals while grieving the loss of her loved ones, the last thing she was thinking about was taking down the decorations.

Pascucci said her father put up the holiday decorations on their home before he passed away in the middle of December. Christmas was his favorite holiday and Pascucci said when she looks at those decorations, she thinks of him and smiles.

“We didn’t really find it funny, it actually was very hurtful,” Pascucci said last week. “It’s also very hard to take something down that your father enjoyed and put up for your family.”

Now, her neighbors are coming together and lighting up the block in a show of support. WCBS 880’s Sophia Hall spoke to one woman, named Linda, as she was bringing out her lights.

“We felt so bad for her so we decided we’re supporting her, putting our Christmas lights back up cause it’s just petty stuff. It’s ridiculous people are complaining. They really have no idea what they’re going through,” Linda said.

“She’s been through a lot and we’ve actually become friends over this so it was kind of nice, too. So something good came out of it,” said neighbor Laurie Kelly said, “It’s been a wonderful neighborhood, so one bad egg, and it’s not going to define the whole neighborhood.”

Kelly’s husband said, “We’ve been very fortunate, but there are many that haven’t been, and for that reason we support Sara.”

Pascucci said she is grateful for the outpouring of love and support she’s received from her neighbors as well as people all across the country who reached out to her after hearing her story.

“When they mentioned this to me I was just so grateful that they’re all supporting us and doing this for us. It means a lot,” Pascucci said. “I received so many messages from people who actually lost their parents to COVID as well and it’s nice to just speak to people who are going through same thing and can relate to our story.”

Pascucci said she still does not know who wrote the note.

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