Fayette County’s Gaddy Family raises over $23K for local NICU following personal tragedy

'Christmas light couple' donates to Piedmont NICU

Mike and Gwen Gaddy, a Fayette County couple well known for their extravagant annual Christmas light display, have raised money for a generous donation to Piedmont Fayette Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The Gaddy's say they feel a special connection to the NICU after losing their premature grandson, Brady, as an infant in 2012.

FAYETTE COUNTY, Ga. - Mike and Gwen Gaddy held a special one-of-a-kind walk-through of their Christmas light display on their farm in Fayette County last December; the first ever in their 38 years of the Gaddy Family Christmas Light Extravaganza. 

The goal was to raise money for the Piedmont Fayette NICU Parent Club, as well as the NICU itself.

Big donation

What we know:

Mike and Gwen recently presented checks after a tally of their donations taken at their farm. They presented the NICU with a little over $14,500 and the Parent Club with just over $9,000. The NICU says they have special plans for some of that money.

"A specific ultrasound probe just for babies to help with successful first sticks for IVs," said Lori Adams, Manager of the Piedmont Fayette NICU.

‘Take care of our community’

The backstory:

The Gaddys have said Piedmont Fayette NICU has held a special place in their hearts after the birth of their grandchildren, Taylor and Brady, in 2012. Tragically, little Brady passed away after months in the NICU.

"So, we felt like it was a great thing to take care of our community, and the people in it who have children that might, you know, have some complications at birth," Gwen said.

‘We give everything back’

What they're saying:

"It just shows the way that they're always looking, you know, how can we support better, how can we raise more money. And here at Piedmont Fayette, we are a not-for-profit hospital, so we do need the donations to help us with things. We give everything back to the community ourselves," said Tracie Delally, Director of Women’s Services at Piedmont Fayette.

They say they had more than 25,000 cars pass through their farm. In addition to the money raised for the NICU, they collected over $6,000 for the March of Dimes and more than 1,800 toys and $3,000 in donations for Toys for Tots.