A vandal slashed their Christmas decorations, so neighbours are donating to this Winnipeg family

Neighbours are offering up giant inflatable Christmas characters to help support a Winnipeg family after somebody slashed several of their decorations including a Mickey Mouse inflatablethey bought for their six-year-old son to celebrate when his leukemia went into remission.

Julie Todman says her yard is known in her Transcona neighbourhood for the decorations her family puts up each Christmas. This year, she's had them up since Nov. 7 buton Saturday evening, somebody came by and slashed four of them. Two of the decorations may be fixable, but thevandal completely destroyed a three-metre snowman and stole the Mickey Mouse, she said.

Todman said she later found the mangled Mickey a few blocks awayand well beyond repair.

"I was devastated. I tried not to show my emotions because my children didn't understand what was going on. But when they woke up the next morning and asked me what happened to their blow-ups, I didn't know what to tell them," Todman said.

"I didn't know how to explain to them that somebody came into our yard and destroyed our Christmas decorations."

Todman said thedecorations had a special meaning this year, after her six-year-old Bentley nearly spent last holiday season in the hospital. Bentley was diagnosed with leukemia two days before his fifth birthday and went into remission just in time for Christmas last year, Todman said, and they had purchased the Mickey Mouse one of his favourites to celebrate.

"We promised him that the next, following Christmas, we would make it the best Christmas we could," Todman said.

'Honoured and touched'

Todman said she captured the vandalism on a security camera, but could only make out the profile of the person responsible. She didn't recognize him, but he appeared to be a teenage boy, she said.

Since the vandalism, she said she's heard from other parents in the area,letting her know how much the decorations are appreciated and offering donations of inflatable decorations to replace the ones that were destroyed.

Todman said she wants to thank them all from the bottom of her heart. If she ends up getting more donations than she can use, she wants to donate them again to another family in need.

"I'm truly honoured and touched," she said.

She said she does feel worried about further vandalism, but she's trying not to let it get to her.

"I am concerned about that," she said. "My husband keeps telling me that we can't be afraid to show our love for holidays because of someone's inconsiderate actions."

She said she feels others in the neighbourhood are frustrated by vandalism in the area as well.

"I'm hoping that the person that did this will realize that, you know, you have to be careful of your actions," she said. "You never know what the people are going through that do these decorations."

Family's Christmas decorations destroyed by vandals

6 years ago

Duration 2:46

Julie Todman says decorations slashed Saturday, including inflatable bought to celebrate her son's remission.

With files from Janice Grant