Touching story behind couple’s massive lights display
It’s been an annual tradition in McKinney for nearly a decade. A couple decks out their house in a massive Christmas display. And while it certainly wows people from all over the community who come by to take a look, it’s intended to raise awareness about heart disease.
MCKINNEY, Texas – It’s been an annual tradition in McKinney for nearly a decade.
A couple decks out their house in a massive Christmas display.
And while it certainly wows people from all over the community who come by to take a look, it’s intended to raise awareness about heart disease.
From Thanksgiving to the start of the new year, Palermo Way in McKinney becomes Christmas Way.
Mark Cornetti and Nasheel Joules are the ones behind the magic.
“We just buy a few more things each year,” Joules said. “We love looking at Christmas lights.”
It’s something they would do together every year until Joules was diagnosed with a rare autoinflammatory disease called CAPS. Her symptoms are triggered by cold temperatures.
“So a lot of the things that people go out and enjoy during Christmas, I can’t really enjoy because it makes me miserable,” she said.
The disease started to affect Joule’s heart, and she developed stage three heart failure.
Since Joules couldn’t go out to enjoy the Christmas activities, the couple decided to bring Christmas home.
“When we saw what it does for people that come and see it, now the smiles, the laughter, and it really became more about doing it for them and not doing it for us so much,” she said.
Jarvis and Blaire Jones made the trip with their family from Allen to see the lights.
“Such an amazing display. All the work and the effort that went into it is really impressive,” Jarvis said.
“It’s super special just to see, their joy and all the smiles that all of this creates,” Blaire said.
The couple says the display is their way of bringing joy through the gift of lights.
“This display is a way of reminding people of the reason for the season,” Joules said.
“That’s a joy to me. Here we are. We have this,” Cornetti said. “And the reason that you’re here is because we wanted to bring Christmas to us.”
The couple partners with the American Heart Association to raise awareness for Joules’ condition.
There’s a QR code and donation box at the display along with a prayer box that Cornetti says is filled up every night.
The display will stay up until Jan. 1.
