A Wisconsin Man Kept A Live Christmas Tree Up For Over Forty Years

I saw this story just a few days ago and my first reaction was "that's so sad." I did some more digging and it's sadder now.

The original story I'm speaking of has to do with a Wausau man, Neil Olson, who in 2014 was the subject of a local news story regarding a Christmas tree he had on display in his house for 40 years.

Olson told the Wausau Daily Herald, he put the tree up in 1974 when two of his six sons went off to fight in the Vietnam War saying he "planned to take it down when he had all six boys home again for Christmas at the same time."

Five of Olson's six sons do live in Wausau, but his oldest son, is disabled and lives out of state, therefore has been unable to come home for Christmas.

Long story short, Olson left up a real Christmas tree in his house for decades waiting for his entire family to gather for the holidays.

Since the newspaper article is almost four years old I wanted to see if Olson ever got his Christmas wish and if the tree was ever taken down.

What I found was ultra sad, another story from the Wausau Daily Herald said that Olson, 92, died six days ago reporting he died due to injuries after getting hit by a car.

Like Olson said in his 2014 story to the Wausau Daily Herald about why the tree is still standing in his house after all this time, " I can see 'em sitting around there yet, opening presents," Olson said.

Sadly, it appears Olson died before he and all his sons would open Christmas presents again.

Sweet Lenny is the brand manager of 97ZOK and Operations Manager for Townsquare Media Rockford. Catch him afternoons 3 to 7 on 97ZOK. Follow him on Twitter, Instagram and like his page on Facebook.