The Satterwite Family of Mechanicsville, Virginia has been spreading the magic of the holiday season since 2004 with their “Hadley’s Winterland” display of more than 150,000 lights. Matthew Satterwite, a design engineer and safety manager for a crane company, spends three months each year decorating his home and yard with dazzling ornaments, twinkling lights, and interactive displays.
Since 2018, in addition to bringing joy to visitors from around the world, Matthew has combined the magic of the holiday season with the spirit of remembrance. After the death of Hanover Fire-EMS Lieutenant Brad Clark in 2018, Matthew and his family created a display in honor of Clark and other Virginia line-of-duty deaths. The display now includes a handmade cutout featuring the NFFF logo and helmets for each Virginia firefighter who died in the line of duty.
Matthew has also collected donations for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation since 2019.
NFFF CEO Victor Stagnaro thanked the Satterwite family for including the NFFF in their holiday display, noting, “During this season, ‘Hadley’s Winterland’ reminds us all that we can honor those we have lost—and celebrate the holidays.”
If you happen to live near Mechanicsville, Virginia, be sure to visit the Satterwite home and enjoy the lights, write a letter to Santa, and soak up the holiday cheer. You can also check out the videos of this year’s and previous years’ displays to get a glimpse of this unforgettable experience that spreads joy far beyond the walls of their home.
Related:
Lieutenant Brad Clark died after being struck by a tractor-trailer on the scene of a traffic accident. His wife, Melanie Clark, has been instrumental in “Move Over” laws to protect first responders on roadways. Follow the Move Over VA campaign, led by Melanie Clark, on Facebook. All states and the District of Columbia have “Move Over” laws to help keep first responders safe—so please remember to move over and slow down whenever you see first responders on the road.
