More Christmas lights shine bright in Bethpage to support family shamed in letter

Last week, News 12 reported that someone on Berkshire Road was offended by the lights that remained up this month to the point that they sent multiple typed letters, putting them in the mail to say that the lights need to come down.

News 12 Staff

Feb 13, 2021, 3:41 AM

Updated 1,394 days ago

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When a Bethpage woman received an anonymous letter telling her to take down her Christmas lights earlier this month, the family and some neighbors decided to double down and keep the neighborhood lit up. 
Last week, News 12 reported that someone on Berkshire Road was offended by the lights that remained up this month to the point that they sent multiple typed letters, putting them in the mail to say that the lights need to come down.
Sara Pascucci posted on social media that her entire family has been dealing with COVID-19 since Christmas Eve and that they lost two family members -- her father Anthony and Aunt Connie -- in January.
“Usually the New Year, me and my dad would come and take down the lights,” Anthony Pascucci son, also known as Anthony, told News 12. “And then we got that letter and it upset us because we lost our dad and our aunt and to get something like that, it’s kind of mean.”
The Pascucci family wasn’t the only ones who received the anonymous letter, which was mailed in a stamped envelope. Neighbor Brian Kelly says he also got one.
“I work for FedEx and I work nights. I don’t have time. Whoever wrote that has to realize that people have lives,” he says.
He says most of his decorations were down except for the ones on the roof, which were not lit. He has since turned them back on.
“The story came out with happened to Sara. We felt awful, so I plugged them back in,” he says.
Neighbor Karen McGuggert decided to put her Christmas lights back up after hearing about the letter.
“We decided to show our support by putting up our decorations too,” she says.
Anthony says the support means a lot to his family.
“Leaving their lights up for my dad…just to show they have our back no matter what – we do appreciate it,” he says.
He had a message for whoever sent the letter:
“I would just want to know why it was sent to us and if it was someone who knew us. Why would they do that at this time?”
The Pascucci family says they plan to keep their light on all year. Others say they may keep theirs up until July.