INDIANOLA, Iowa- One couple’s story in Indianola is stealing the hearts of thousands of people across the continent.

The decades-long love story of John and Joan Reichart made national headlines in recent weeks after the community learned of John’s effort to decorate all 18 houses on his residential street with Christmas decor to give his wife a holiday she could not forget. Then someone made him a P.O. Box.

“That’s another Merry Christmas,” John said, holding up a card that had come in the mail. “That’s beautiful.”

It was a Thursday night as the couple sat at their dining room table. Two bundles of cards that had been delivered the days prior sat at the far end. A fresh unbundled bunch of cards were piled in front of them. Christmas music emanating from Jean’s collection of snowglobes played in the background.

 The holidays have always been full of love for the Reicharts.

“I made her promise me, Christmas Eve,” he told WHO-13 reporter Katie Kaplan. “I asked her if she would marry me. It took her thirty minutes to say yes.” 

That was more than 53 years ago.

“Our relationship started when I was home on leave from Vietnam,” he said. “She hasn’t changed much.”

This year hundreds of strangers from across the country are helping them keep the love alive during one of the toughest seasons of the Reichart’s lives.

“We just keep going, don’t we honey?” John said, as he turned to Jean. “We go day-by-day and take it one day at a time.” 

Joan nodded in response from across the table.

She overcame breast cancer 12 years ago and has been battling Alzheimer’s Disease for the past four. While John said some days are better than others for her, on this night there was clearly at least one thing she knew for sure. 

“I love him forever and so much,” she said. “He is so good to me.”

“These cards make me out to be a hero, but I didn’t do it to be a hero,” John said. “I did it because I love her and I wanted something she would remember.”

That mutual adoration is what made John jump into action and decorate the inside of their home. When Jean told him she wanted the outside decorated too, he did not miss a beat. He went door-to-door and eventually convinced all 18 neighbors on his block to let him decorate their lawns. Every single home now boasts a matching lighted Christmas tree and lights under the awning.

It was a move that not only swooned his sweetheart, but which garnered national attention with stories published in the Washington Post and that aired across local news channels in various states. They were even featured on the network evening news during Thanksgiving week.

The attention then spurred a neighbor to setup a GoFundMe to help John cover the cost of the neighborhood lights and decorations, as well as a P.O. Box. where people could send the Reicherts their own small dose of holiday cheer.

“What a sensational love you share,” read one card from the third bundle that was delivered. “This is surely what love is all about.”

John said they had received a record 107 cards on Tuesday afternoon. He said he plans to respond to every single person that writes them and provides a return address.

If you would like to send the Reicharts a holiday card or gift, you can do so at the following address:

John Reichart
C/O Frank Ewurs
P.O. Box 133
Indianola, Iowa, 50125