A mum who was diagnosed with a life-limiting illness has created an amazing Halloween display outside her house to bring a smile to people's faces. Michelle Connell, 45, from Barry, was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease six years ago.
It causes emphysema and it means, as she puts it, her lifespan "is not gonna be as long as everybody else's." She said: "My health has deteriorated quite a lot in the past two year.s I’m unable to breathe properly or walk around that much."
Her diagnosis has shifted her perspective in life - she said: "My health has deteriorated quite a lot in the past two years I’m unable to breathe properly or walk around that much.
"I know I haven't got a lot of time to make as many people happy as I possibly can. Especially by doing more with my kids, but outsiders too.
"I can't really explain the feeling - it makes me extremely happy to make everybody happy. I've got seven kids of my own ranging from 12 to 28, I'm a single mum, and they're very protective but they know this is something I really want to do."
Michelle took it upon herself to design an incredible haunted house for people from all around to enjoy. She's adorned her house with massive cobwebs, skeletons, pumpkins and is still working on lights that will cover the entire front garden before the big night.
She said: "Last year I had a coffin made out of solid wood with a skeleton inside it, a few blow-ups and a lot of lights - but nothing compared to this year. This year it's absolutely everything you can think of.
"There's things that make noises, which the kids will love. I've got the smoke machine as well, and music that I'll play with all the old Halloween songs.
"It's not too scary, and I think all the kids will love all the things that move. Every single one of us will be dressing up, but we aren't jumping out because we don't like to scare people; you don't know whether people might have illnesses or already be having nightmares!"
A Halloween display for all ages will naturally attract loads of trick-or-treaters, but Michelle is prepared. She said: "We’ve filled another 200-odd bags of sweets this morning on top of all the rest we’ve already got here.
"We’re expecting quite a lot. Last year I had over 200 visitors and this year we’re expecting more."
As well as making people smile, Michelle is taking donations and hoping to do her bit for charity. Any donations go to Macmillan Cancer Support, a charity that helped Michelle when she lost relatives to cancer.
She said: "The work that these people have put in to look after us and take care of us, and for other people... I wanted to put something back in, make people happy and raise a bit of money."
It took a while to get the house set up, but Michelle said her kids gave her some help. She said: "Because of my health it’s taken me about two or three weeks.
"The kids have all chipped in - the older ones more than the younger. The younger ones got excited for a bit then got bored like they do with their Xboxes!"
The neighbours don't mind all the lights and noise, either - in fact, Michelle said, they "absolutely love it." She added: "I have been told that’s the reason they don’t decorate - I does enough for all of them!"
And Michelle has big plans for Christmas already. She previewed: "The Christmas one’s gonna be even bigger yet.
"I’m setting it up the day after this one comes down. It's gonna be like something you see in America, where the roof is covered, with Santa in his sleigh, and it’ll all be for charity.
Michelle's Halloween display can be found at 207 Winston Road, Barry, CF62 9SZ.
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