YouTube / Good Morning America
That's the whole point, really. The Heerlein family went the clever route for its light display and recreated the famous scene in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation where Chevy Chase's Clark Griswold dangles from the gutters after a misstep hanging his outdoor decor.
The family positioned a mannequin just like Griswold in the movie. Only there was one small problem: The effect was so realistic a man walking by thought someone actually needed help.
The story of that man, a veteran named Alfred Norwood, Jr., has since gone viral, and even got a spotlight on Good Morning America. The Heerleins shared a surveillance system recording that shows Norwood moving the ladder so he could help the dangling "man" down from the roof, even asking if he could reach the ladder. Norwood can also be seen flagging people down to help while on the phone with 911.
The Heerlein family has since added a sign to the display to let other people know the mannequin is just part of their elaborate decorations.
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