'Christmas Ninja' Surprises Heartbroken Family with New Christmas Lights

NEW LENOX, IL — Just as quickly as someone crushed the hearts of a New Lenox family by stealing their Christmas lights, someone else swooped in and saved the day.

Mike Weckler needed surgery on his arm this holiday season, which made hanging lights difficult, if not impossible. But he didn't want his kids to go without holiday cheer glowing on their home. He opted for a projector display as an easy way to give his 5-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter something to enjoy—but apparently it was a little too easy to steal, as well.

He first noticed something amiss on Dec. 12, when the light wasn't shining as usual.

"My son has autism and was the first to notice the light missing and both kids were heartbroken," Weckler said. "...I saw footprints in the snow leading from the street to my house where someone unplugged the light."

Frustrated and disappointed, Weckler turned to a local group on Facebook to vent and warn of the theft.

"I posted to the neighborhood watch site letting people know about the theft near Joliet highway and Cedar Road," he said. "Some people commented that they knew of others who had them taken."

The good people of New Lenox wouldn't let whatever grinch stole their Christmas get away with it. Days later, a woman donated an inflatable snowman for display in front of their home.

Then, on Dec. 21, Weckler spotted something out his front window.

"I noticed light outside, a brighter light than my motion detector lights produce," he said. "So I looked outside and to my shock and surprise I see lights on the front of my house."

They hadn't been there when he returned from work, Weckel said.

"So some time between 3 and 7 p.m., someone came to my house and hung the lights like a Christmas ninja," he joked.

Back to Facebook he went, to post a photo of appreciation for whomever hung the lights—and he thinks he has figured it out.

"I want the person who did this to be recognized for their selfless act of kindness and generosity," Weckler wrote, when he posted about the new lights on Facebook.

Weckler told Patch the name, but we're not sure if he wants his identity revealed, so our lips are sealed.

"When our light was stolen he had mentioned that he had extra lights and would try to come and hang them for us. But I had not heard from him since then and with the holidays people get busy so even his offer was generous but I honestly did not expect him to follow through with it especially this close to Christmas."

But he did, and it made Weckler's kids' day.

"I thought their faces were going to explode when they saw that someone hung lights on the house for us," he said. "I can't put into words how happy they looked."

Photo Courtesy of Mike Weckler