AUSTIN, TX — In the popular 1989 holiday film “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” homeowner Clark Griswold asks his son, “Russ, when was the last time I overdid anything?” One Austin homeowner’s Griswold-themed Christmas display may have done just that.
In the film, Griswold, played by Chevy Chase, slips on the icy roof of his home, slides all the way off and manages to snag onto his gutter to stop his freefall. The horrified homeowner hangs on for dear life and tries to inch his way to a nearby ladder to get down.
In an homage to the film, Chris Heerlein installed lights on his home near the Balcones Country Club. The display featured a dummy — wearing a Griswold mask and outfit — dangling from the roof, entangled in Christmas lights. A ladder leans against the home just underneath and out-of-reach of the dummy.
But surveillance video obtained by KTRK-TV appears to show a panicked passerby frantically rush over to help the dummy, seemingly unaware the scene is staged. Footage shows a man run up to the home, rip the light-entangled ladder out of the ground and try to help the dummy down.
“Oh mister, please hold on!” The man says, according to KVUE-TV.
Heerlein’s sister-in-law Leah Wheless told the station the man did everything he could to help.
“He didn’t give up,” she said. “Whatever he had to do, he was going to save old Clark Griswold.”
The video shows him yelling up at the dummy and later calling out for help. At one point, he dialed 911.
The man, identified as Alfred, told KVUE-TV he was trying to get the dummy down in any way possible.
“Except when I started talking to him, he never said nothing,” the man told the station. “Then I thought, ‘Oh my God I hope he’s not dead, lemme call 9-1-1.'”
Heerlein reportedly created the display to win a contest. The family has since installed a sign near the ladder telling passerby it’s fake.
“Clark G is part of our Christmas display please do not call 911,” it reads.
The family told KVUE-TV they called the passerby and thanked him. They plan to send a gift as an apology.
Photo credit:Screenshot of YouTube Video
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