ELGIN, S.C. — An Elgin man who dedicated himself to lighting up the lives of others, literally, for 25 years has died leaving behind a legacy of kindness and holiday spirit.
The Facebook page that has been host to many announcements concerning his famed "Elgin Lights" shared the announcement of Paul Towns Sr.'s death on Saturday.
Towns had become a local celebrity over the years not only for his Christmas light show but also for the story behind it.
What started as 10,000 lights had reached 100,000 and six buildings of collectibles that Towns called his museums.
For two months every year, Towns used his two-acre property to bring happiness to the community. And while the lights themselves were enough to do that, it was in 2004 that he found another way to help others.
It was the same year that Towns was diagnosed with cancer. And, as WLTX previously reported, his family had turned down donations up until that time.
He told WLTX's Colby Gallagher that he saw a report on News19 about an 11-year-old cancer patient, Cole Sawyer, who spent his final days at Camp KEMO.
It was at that point that Towns began dedicating any donations to the yearly light show to "Keep Cole's dream alive" by sending more kids to the camp.
In Saturday's update, his family shared that the Cedar Springs, Michigan native had spent many years in the U.S. Army and fought in Vietnam at the age of 17 before retiring in 1994 at Fort Jackson.
They said that, in his retirement years, helping children with cancer became one of his major goals through the camp that inspired him.
"He always put others first, whether it was fighting for his country, helping a friend or stranger, and even raising money for Camp KEMO."
In his own bouts with cancer over the years, the smiles brought by his light show were a source of inspiration for him, his daughter said in the 2014 interview.
"If this wasn't here and it was all dark out here, I don't know what I would do," he said at the time.
But Towns also explained that it wasn't about him.
"I'm 57 years old, I'm over the hill, I'm OK," he said in 2014. "It's kids, I want to try and get them to reach that point, anyways."
Even in his death, Towns' family said they don't want to forget his focus on bringing happiness. They are foregoing a traditional funeral for a celebration of his life at their home at 2433 Charlie Horse Circle on Nov. 5 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. It is there that the Elgin Lights will shine again, one last time, in honor of a man whose heart-felt deeds will shine forever.
Instead of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Camp Cole, which hosts Camp KEMO, in his memory.