NOLENSVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — If you want to see beautifully decorated homes this holiday season, you've got some great picks in Middle Tennessee. One of them carries with it a family's story that's been slowly unfolding over three years.
There's something comforting and warm about the lights in Nolensville this time of year. People around there will tell you when it comes to decorations, there's one place on Eldon Lane you just have to see.
"My parents have purchased and collected all of these inflatables year after year after year," smiled Melissa Biddick, surrounded in movie and Christmas special characters in her family's front yard. "We have over a hundred now!"
Melissa's family loves how everyone has a favorite of their inflatables.
"I like the Bluey!" said one kid studying the decorations.
"I like the Sven and Olaf!" added another.
"There are people who have to bring their kids by the house every night," Melissa continued.
This star attraction in Nolensville carries so much meaning because of the story of Melissa's little boy, Mason.
"Mason was born with his intestines, bowel, and liver on the outside of his body, pretty much on his death bed," Melissa explained.
Mason spent seven months in the NICU at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, where the family met ENT Nurse Practicioner Nicki Johnson.
"He was premature, pulmonary hypertension," Nicki said. "He had a very rare birth defect and was intubated and on a ventilator for a pretty long time."
"When Mason was in the NICU, we listened to music every single day," Melissa said. "We weren't sure if he was going to make it."
Over three years, there has been so much change.
"There's Buddy the Elf. You see him?" Melissa said, carrying a three-year-old Mason.
Mason's doing great.
"I get to see tiny babies who are so medically complex and fragile like Mason grow up and just take the trake out and throw it across the room!" laughed Nicki. "They're just thriving. That's my favorite part of my job."
All this is something worth celebrating. Melissa's family now does a big yearly toy drive, this year collecting for Make-A-Wish Middle Tennessee. A raffle raises money for the Childhood Tracheostomy Alliance, a non-profit founded by Nicki.
As it turns out, all that music Mason heard in the NICU made quite the impression.
Mason sang carols including Jingle Bells as his mom carried him around the decorations.
"He loves music and he loves people, and he's just an incredible, incredible little boy," Melissa said. "It's been a tough journey for him and he deserves the world. He's the reason for this toy drive every year. It's the best feeling in the world. He's the one who created this."
By the way, Mason's family is still collecting toys for Make-A-Wish Middle Tennessee through Dec. 22nd. Toys can be dropped off at 753 Eldon Lane in Nolensville.
Fostering Hope provides Christmas for kids in foster care. I'm delighted to see Fostering Hope expand this year to expand their reach to now include kids in Foster care in metro AND foster kids in East TN hard hit by Helene.
-Bree Smith
