KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — During the COVID-19 pandemic, many folks turned to decorating their yards, especially during Halloween. One Knoxville woman has turned her yard into a spooky spectacle. And, it all started with one skeleton.
It's easy to spot Joy Sabo's home, it's the one with dozens of skeletons. From the largest at 12 feet tall to the tiniest skeletons of birds, Joy's home is a real bone zone.
But what's really surprising, is that Joy's only been decorating for Halloween for only a few years.
"I bought a 12-foot skeleton at Home Depot," Joy said. "They became popular during COVID."
With that single purchase, Joy became obsessed with skeletons, Halloween and decorating.
"It's my new Christmas," she said.
In addition to the skeletons, she's added blow-up decorations, twinkling lights, bats, spiders, the works. However, to keep it from being too scary, she's made it more treat than trick.
"I wanted little girls to be able to come and nothing too scary," Joy said. Except for Michael Myers."
But the skeletons keep her laughing, from the slithering skeleton snake to the 3-man utility crew on the side of the road, Joy's front yard keeps growing day by day.
"I start in September," she said. "None of it is planned, I just come out and come up with it. There's little things to see in every nook and cranny."
Joy's even developed a Facebook page called "Skeletons on Matlock" to help raise money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital's Skeleton's for St. Jude Fundraiser, which is working to raise over $100,000 for the Memphis hospital by Halloween. They have raised over $160,000 so far.
"Skeletons for St. Jude just started about 4 years [ago]," she said. "[I] have my QR code to donate on behalf of my team. They've raised over half a million dollars in the 4 years they've been around."
For Joy Sabo, decorating for Halloween may be a new obsession but an important one that makes her happy.
"I do it for me, for fun," Joy said. "I'm still a kid, I do it for the fun."
You can donate to the cause here.