Talk about dedication!
Wisconsin man Neil Olson, 89, put up his Christmas tree in 1974, when two of his sons went off to war.
He vowed not to take it down until all six of his children returned home to him.
His oldest son was injured in the Vietnam War, and his disability has left him unable to return from Washington state to his Wausau, Wisconsin home.
So Olson has kept the tree up, just like he vowed, same tinsel, ornaments and lights from ’74.
Surprisingly, the needles, while yellowed with age, are still on the tree!
Olson said:
“The needles are kept on for a reason. It’s supernatural, I say. It’s like family now. I hate to take it down.”
Even though the tree is as much a part of the house as any other piece of furniture, Olson hasn’t turned on the lights in decades.
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According to him, the lights are almost 100 years old!! (They must’ve been super old lights back when he first put them on the tree!)
When asked if he ever plans to try and turn the lights on, he said:
“It’d just blow up on me. All that dust on there. It’d be like an atomic bomb.”
Ha! It’s probably for the best they stay off then.
Olson still speaks with his oldest son, hoping he one day might be able to come home.
He said:
“I bet you if my sixth boy comes home, the needles will drop right off.”
Sounds like a real Christmas miracle of a tree!!
Let’s hope his oldest son can come home one year so his dad can finally get a new tree!!
Check out the video (below) to see the 40 year old tree!!
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