A Long Island woman received an anonymous letter from neighbors asking her to remove Christmas decorations from her yard that were put up by her late father just weeks before he died of COVID-19.
Sara Pascucci of Bethpage is one of at least three residents who live on Berkshire Road and who have reported receiving notices that read: ‘Take your Christmas lights down! It’s Valentine’s Day!!!!’
She told WCBS-TV that the letter, which did not have a return address, was postmarked January 30.
At least three residents of Bethpage, New York, received anonymous, postmarked letters telling them to remove their Christmas decorations this week
Sara Pascucci (left), 31, says that she was hurt to receive the letter since the decorations were put up by her late father, Anthony (right), 61, just weeks before he died of COVID-19 on January 15
‘Take your Christmas lights down! It’s Valentine’s Day!!!!’ reads the typed letter
Pascucci, 31, was particularly stung by the letter since her family was still mourning the loss of her father, 61-year-old Anthony Pascucci. She first wrote about it in a post that was written for a Long Island mothers’ Facebook group.
Anthony died on January 15 after he was diagnosed with COVID-19. Just six days earlier, Anthony’s sister, Connie Pascucci, 70, also succumbed to the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
‘My father ended up going to the hospital because he couldn’t breathe,’ Sara said.
‘They ended up having to put the ventilator, and he passed on January 15th.’
Sara, a 31-year-old receptionist at a Long Island dermatologist’s office, first revealed the letter in a post to a private Facebook group
She paid tribute to her late father, posting a photo of him and her from years ago
Sara on Wednesday posted a message on her Facebook page addressed to ‘the grinch of Bethpage.’ ‘Love outweighs the hate,’ she wrote
For Sara, who works as a receptionist at a dermatologist’s office on Long Island, the Christmas lights had a great deal of sentimental value.
‘I thought it was somebody trying to be funny but considering the circumstances we didn’t really find it funny,’ she said of the letter.
‘It was actually very hurtful.’
Sara lives with her brother and her aunt. All of them contracted COVID-19 on Christmas Eve, but have since recovered.
She wasn’t the only resident on the block who received the postmarked letter, according to WABC-TV.
Lori Kelly said that her husband injured his back and that the couple decided to leave up their Christmas decor for the time being.
‘I thought it was really rude,’ she said of the letter.
Two neighbors who live in the area – Lori Kelly (left) and John Fazio (right) – reported receiving the same letter
Lori Kelly said that her husband injured his back and that the couple decided to leave up their Christmas decor (above) for the time being
‘You know, especially now with COVID and everything going on.’
The letter’s sender has not been identified, but its recipients are not too happy.
‘Mind your own business, you know,’ Kelly said when asked what message she had for the letter-writer.
‘This is my property, so if I want to leave my Christmas lights on all year long, I will.’
Sara on Wednesday posted a message on her Facebook page addressed to ‘the grinch of Bethpage.’
‘Love outweighs the hate,’ she wrote.
‘I just want to thank everyone for all of their love and support today!’ she wrote.
‘And I want to thank the grinch too! For bringing all of this love to me in a time of need!’
She urged people to ‘remember to be kind, especially during a pandemic.
‘You don’t really know what anybody’s going through.’
Throughout the country, many people posted photos on social media showing their Christmas decorations still up.
Residents of Kentucky, North Carolina, Washington, DC, and others took photos of their Christmas lights that were still working – more than a month after the holiday.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Dailymail.co.uk
