JENSEN BEACH, Fla. — A beloved South Florida holiday tradition will not continue this year as the Jensen Beach homeowner mourns the loss of her husband.
The mansion at 4545 Ocean Blvd. in Jensen Beach, typically decked out in thousands of lights for the Christmas season, will remain dark this year after the death of Robert Eustace.
WPTV's Meghan McRoberts confirmed with Elsa Eustace that her husband passed away earlier this year, and her family is just not in the frame of mind to continue the elaborate display. Elsa says it was always his idea from the beginning to light up the beautiful home for the community.
The extravagant Christmas light display has been a holiday staple for years, drawing families from across Martin County and beyond to witness the spectacular show on Hutchinson Island.
Lights cover an impressive amount of the trees and vegetation surrounding the 50,000 square-foot mansion, with some visitors even traveling from out of state to see the display.
In 2018, Sandy Sanders brought her out-of-town company from Maryland to see the display.
"Because it's awesome. You've never seen anything like this at one house," Sanders said.
"Just amazing how many hours are probably put into this. Just to please everybody. It's cool people give back like that," Port St. Lucie resident Joe Varrell said.
The decision to pause the tradition is expected to be felt deeply by the community, many of whom have visited the home for years as part of their holiday celebrations.
Though the display will not go up this year, the memory of the Eustace family’s generosity and Robert’s vision continues to shine brightly for the many families who made the annual visit a part of their holiday joy.
