Manny Medeiros may not exactly be a household name, but his Christmas magic is well known in the Kingston community.
His house on Davis Drive draws dozens if not hundreds of onlookers every year who come to check out his Christmas light display.
Following a fire last April, Medeiros’ light display has been put on hold.
Kingston Fire and Rescue says the fire started in the garage of the home, with Medeiros nearby.
” I opened the garage door going to the house and all I seen was that smoke, and that heat hit me like a ton of bricks,” Medeiros told Global News, recalling April 19 fire.
Medeiros says he doesn’t know how the fire started and Kingston Fire and Rescue has listed the cause as ‘undetermined’.
What isn’t a mystery is the acts of heroism that took place on the day of the fire.
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Lisa Medeiros says Kingston Fire and Rescue deserve praise for containing the fire to the garage where it started and saving the house.
One unidentified stranger helped Medeiros’ wife get out of house.
Manny Medeiros’ daughter Lisa was at work at the time of the blaze, but her husband was sleeping in the burning home.
Lisa Medeiros credits two Kingston Public Works employees for getting her husband out of the house safely.
“Larry and Pete from Public Works that went up and got Shawn took him down the stairs, grabbed the cats, got out. They also moved his truck, so just a little bit of damage to the truck,” Lisa Medeiros said.
Neighbours also raised money to help Manny Medeiros start replacing the decorations he lost in the fire.
Lisa Medeiros says that’s just one act of many that the community has done for them following the fire.
“The whole neighbourhood, like everybody in Waterloo Village everybody in Kingston, just everybody who reached out even with comments on Facebook, it’s been overwhelming,” she said.
Numerous well-wishers have dropped off cards at the Davis Drive home, including a large Christmas-themed bristol board card that was left on the front door to thank the family for the many years of light displays.
“We appreciate whoever did it, and if they want to be nice they can leave us a card with their name and address so we can really thank them, that’s beautiful,” Manny Medeiros said.
The outreach from the community has Manny Medeiros determined he will have a light display by next Christmas.
“The lights will be flashing and the hydro bill will be expensive,” Medeiros said, chuckling at the thought.
Kingston Fire and Rescue estimated damage to the house at $150,000.
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