'Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer' Singer Surprises Raynham Cancer Survivor

RAYNHAM (CBS) - Leon Mathieu walks over and points out a Winnie the Pooh blow-up Christmas display on his front lawn.

"This was the first one that we ever had," he told WBZ-TV. For fourteen years, Mathieu has been creating these displays outside his Raynham home. He has 44 blow up pieces and thousands of lights surrounding his house.

"It's a hobby of mine and I enjoy it. I do it really for the kids," said Mathieu.

Decorating is a way to give back and for his own therapy. The 54-year-old father of two has been battling cancer for 30 years. He beat Ewing's Sarcoma, cancer of the bone, twice. He most recently beat pancreatic cancer.

"They operated on me and removed a few organs out of me," explained Mathieu.

His latest Christmas display, which hangs over his garage is a purple cancer ribbon which is symbol for pancreatic cancer.

"That was a three-week project. I can only work on things for an hour here, an hour there or if I can get two or three hours that's a great day," said Mathieu.

The retired snow plow driver gave WBZ a tour of his Christmas displays Wednesday night.

"This is the one that is my favorite. If you notice from the front roller coming around is grandma. Grandma got run over by a reindeer."

Mathieu's favorite display reminds him of his favorite Christmas song by the same name.

The song debuted in 1979. The original singer Elmo Shropshire heard about Mathieu's display and surprised the cancer survivor with a phone call and serenade of his favorite song.

"It's much more meaningful and makes me feel much better to know that it brightened his day a little bit," Shropshire told WBZ.

"It was cool. It was really cool and I never expected something like that," expressed Mathieu.

A bond that runs deep for the two men because Elmo used to sing the same song to his wife's mother when she battled pancreatic cancer.

"Yeah that strikes a cord," sighed Mathieu. "That really strikes a cord and my heart goes out to Elmo and his wife."

Mathieu now has a new meaning to a song he said he will always cherish.

"It has really all made my holiday this year, it really has. Each holiday I get I count, this one will definitely be my most memorable."