As we wind down the holiday season, there are still a few important seasonal stories worth sharing. One, in particular, has to do with a series of viral Christmas lights from Bel Air, Maryland. Jim Kurtz and his family have been proudly displaying their electrical extravaganza since 2015, via YouTube videos and local press stories. The big moments occur when the synchronized lights move to the sounds of a specific song. Well this year, they’ve chosen a very special track to signify recovery and addiction.
Speaking with the outlet The Maryland Patch, the Kurtz household opened up about their daughter, Caroline, who recently relapsed after overcoming a harrowing dependency. Sadly, this family understands addiction far too well. They openly explained to The Patch that Caroline had been in 22 recovery facilities across four states within the past seven years.
To honor the struggle and optimism they have for their daughter, the Kurtzes chose to synchronize their light show to the Greatest Showman song, “This Is Me.” A huge hit by the artist Keala Settle, it includes some powerful lyrics that discuss acceptance and overcoming hardships.
“As you may also know, we started to use our lights in 2015 to raise awareness about the opioid epidemic by dedicating songs to our daughter, Caroline, and her recovery from this disease,” father Jim Kurtz told The Patch. “This year we continue our efforts with this video. We are asking that people pray this Christmas for the thousands of people recovering from the disease in their community.”
The good news is, this display is definitely making an impact. On the local level, their 50-foot-tall pine tree can be seen over a half a mile away (making it the tallest decorated tree in Hartford County). This lights can also been viewed from the Maryland freeways.
Of course, the awareness travels much farther than that. On YouTube, the “This Is Me” light show has garnered thousands of views, as well as a series of inspirational comments. And that’s only the beginning. The Kurtzes have included all of the video displays from years’ past on their YouTube channel. Their synchronized glows for “The Fight Song” (which also was dedicated to those in recovery) received over 62,000 views.
We certainly applaud the unique and powerful way that this family is addressing addiction and invite everyone to take a look at their inspirational YouTube page for more clips. Below, you can watch the “This Is Me” display in its entirety.
