# @dmregister on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DEBbilzt9Hh
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/25698968-dmregister-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/thumbnails/50dfc6aa12.jpg
- **Posted:** 2024-12-26T01:00:12.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Des Moines Register (@DMRegister) — https://gondola.cc/DMRegister

## Caption

Christmas time has always been special for John and Joan Reichart.

In December 1970, John, back home in Indianola after serving in the Vietnam War as a marine, proposed to his girlfriend Joan on Christmas Eve. After getting married, the couple decided to make every Christmas they celebrated special. Over the years, the holidays became a cherished time for the Reicharts.

Recently, however, the holidays have been bittersweet for the Reicharts. In December 2020, Joan, 72, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's after going through a brutal battle with triple-negative breast cancer.

Determined to create lasting memories for Joan despite her health challenges, John set out to surpass the couple's previous Christmases this year by doing something unforgettable for Joan: lighting up his neighborhood by decorating every house on his block for the holiday season.

Tap the link in our bio for more on this story.

#Indianola #Iowa #christmas #christmaslights

## Stats

- **Views:** 0
- **Likes:** 893
- **Shares:** 0
- **Comments:** 2

## Tags

christmas, christmaslights, iowa, indianola

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