PHOTOS – ‘His Dream Came True’: Ohioans Decorate Elderly Man’s Christmas Tree He Planted 40 Years Ago

An 88-year-old man in Mentor-on-the-Lake, Ohio, got a huge Christmas surprise from his community this week.

Gene has lived in the area for the past 70 years and planted a sapling 40 years ago outside his house on Thunderbird Drive, local police said in a social media post Tuesday.

The department noted his son brought the sapling home on Arbor Day. It has since grown to be about 40 feet tall, to the delight of residents.

According to Canopy.org, a tree’s first five years of life are critical while it is growing. Young trees must be watered, pruned, and cared for to help them be healthy for years to come, and Gene’s tree appears to have been cared for meticulously for many years.

“Gene has had a dream of having lights placed on this tree for decades and finally his dream was made a reality from the help of others:-) Donations were made for lighting and for the first time ever the tree was decorated and lit!” the agency said of the tree that is decorated for Christmas with what appears to be an angel on top:

Per History.com, the tradition of decorating a Christmas tree has been credited to the people of Germany. In the 16th century, Christians apparently began displaying the trees in their homes, the website continued:

It is a widely held belief that Martin Luther, the 16th-century Protestant reformer, first added lighted candles to a tree. According to a common version of the story, walking home one winter evening, Luther was awed by the stars twinkling amidst evergreens. To recapture the scene for his family, he erected a tree in the main room and wired its branches with lighted candles.

Meanwhile, the department said Gene was overwhelmed when he saw the sparkling tree decorated for the season for the first time since it was planted.

Social media users were quick to comment on the post, one person writing, “Such a special night!! They did a beautiful job!”

“Thank you for doing this! What an awesome gesture of love and compassion. So happy his dream came true,” another person replied.