Christmas is a time for kids, and of course Santa, and sometimes wishes are so special that even Santa cries.
Here are 10 stories where Santa was left in tears:
#10 When you are a child for Christmas you always want the biggest and the best and usually the costliest toys all for yourself, you seldom think of others. Hey it’s a kid thing, I’m not so old I can’t remember that but some actually do think beyond themselves. In Columbia South Carolina four-year-old Preston Barnett visited Santa at a mall and instead of asking for toys, the little boy asked Santa if he would pray with him for a two month old boy who was fighting for his life in a Las Vegas hospital. Santa obliged Preston and got down on his knee beside his big chair and prayed with the little boy. Preston had heard about baby Knox dying from his grandmother, he was found unresponsive by his father and quickly taken to the hospital. After the photo of the two praying went viral, plenty more prayers were sent up for little baby Knox. Unfortunately the little boy died just before Christmas last year.
#9 Last year in Houston 12 year-old Arnulfo Herrera wrote a letter to Santa telling the jolly old elf that he didn’t want any toys he only asked Santa to bring a new healthy heart to his 46 year old mom because she was dying. He wrote, I believe in you and the miracles. A social worker took his letter to some local firefighters who were very touched by his letter to Santa so they decided to visit our Arnulfo with some gifts. He was thrilled to get the gifts from the thoughtful firefighters but said his biggest concern was still his mom and that he and his dad pray all day long for her to receive a new heart. He said, we need her for many more years. It’s not known if our know Arnulfo mom received her new heart but we’re sure hoping she did.
#8 Eight year old Ryan Suffern of North Carolina has a twin sister named Amber. A few years back Ryan wrote to Santa that he originally wanted a remote-controlled car and helicopter but he wanted to change that. He wrote that his sister, who weighs about twice as much as himself was constantly being bullied in school about her weight and he asked Santa if he could please make that stop. Ryan’s mom read his letter and it brought her to tears, her son loving his sister so much that he was willing to give up any toys so she would no longer be teased at school. Well I really hope Ryan got his wish as I know for a fact Santa it was working on it.
#7 When Christian’s mom answered the front door of their England home one day, two men were there. After a brief talk at the doorway, one of them pulled a gun and shot Christian and his mom in their legs. A short time later Christian wrote to Santa asking if he would help Police to capture those involved in shooting him and his mom. Now, this happened two years ago and we certainly hope Santa was able to give Christian his wish.
#6 Sometimes old St. Nick can be pretty darn magical. While standing in line at the mall to visit Santa, Kelly and her daughter Lauren noticed that the little girl in front of them was wearing a hearing aid. When they looked back up at Santa they noticed he was wearing one as well. Wow, they thought, he was really going to be able to relate to that little girl. When it was Lauren’s turn he picked her up to center in his lap and his face changed. He realized that Lauren was wearing a back brace and immediately he got into a deep quiet conversation with her. He leaned over and Lauren started touching his back and the jolly old elf himself was wearing a back brace too and he told her he knows exactly how she feels. He then whispered something in her ear about the back brace and Lauren gave him the biggest hug. Yeah he is a pretty magical guy.
#5 Way back in 1990, John donned a Santa suit and stood in for the real one for a club he belonged to and heard the request of several little disadvantaged children. One boy asked for a Nintendo set, a few children later his older sister sat on Santa’s lap and told him that she didn’t want anything but could he get her little brother a Nintendo because he wanted one so bad. Well John was so taken by the girls selfless request that he was bound and determined to get it done so he collected the console, games and accessories from several friends and he drove to the family and presented the big gift to the little boy. Needless to say he was shocked and thrilled and John also brought the soft-hearted little girl a new bicycle. His friends even donated a 27-inch TV for the family. It remains an incredible memory for John and a moment the real Santa is sure to be proud of.
#4 Back in November of 2013, 10 year-old Ronnie Harris of Ipswich England wrote a letter to Santa and while his mom Emma was cleaning his room she found it under his bed. It read dear Santa, this Christmas I would like one specific thing this year, my dad has a really bad brain tumor. Could you please find a cure for him to make him better and I will be the happiest boy in the whole world. Mother Emma was brought to tears by the very unselfish letter. Her husband 32 year old Russell Harris was indeed fighting for his life against the deadly brain tumor. We sure hope Santa was able to help this little boy with his wish.
#3 While a man was playing Santa, a little girl got onto Santa’s lap. She was surrounded by her dad who was holding a young baby and her sister. When Santa asked what she wanted, the little girl said the only thing she wanted for Christmas was to have her mom back. Her dad stopped playing with the little baby and looked down to the floor. Her sister stood silent. The man dressed in the Santa suit learned that the little girl’s mother died during childbirth while bringing her little brother into the world and it was going to be their first Christmas without her. Her request shook the man in the Santa suit so much it was the last time he wore the same outfit
#2 A little boy came to visit Santa at the Mayfair Mall in Wisconsin. He plopped up onto Santa’s lap holding a picture of a little girl. Santa asked, is that your sister? He said yes it is and she’s very sick. His grandmother stood off to the side wiping her eyes, the little boy went on saying Sara wanted to come with me to see you so very much Santa, she misses you. When they finished talking the grandmother walked over to Santa and started to say something, but she stopped. What is it?, asked Santa. Well she said, I know it’s really too much to ask but is there any way possible that you could come and see Sara. She then explained to him that her granddaughter was in the hospital battling leukemia and she wasn’t expected to make it through the holidays. She said all she had been asking for was a visit from Santa. While Santa told the woman to leave all the information as to where Sarah was with his elves and he would see what he could do.
A little while later, Santa walked up to her hospital room and peeked through the half closed door. There was a pale little girl in the hospital bed and she was surrounded by her family. The little boy who brought the picture of her was there and so was her grandmother. There were others there too, so Santa took a deep breath forced himself a smile and entered the room with a hearty ho ho ho. Santa! shrieked the little girl in a hospital bed. Santa rushed to her with a big hug. She was so pale and she had lost several patches of hair from the chemo treatments. They began talking and a family member bent down and whispered, thank you, into Santa’s ear. As they continue talking Sara told Santa that she had been a good girl that year and told him about some of the toys she would love to have. As their time was winding down Santa asked Sarah’s mom if he could pray for Sarah, and she nodded yes. So santa looked intensely at Sarah and asked if she believed in angels. She responded oh yes Santa I do. anta then said he was going to ask that the Angels to watch over her and he began praying. The family stood around Sarah’s bed and held hands. When Santa was done he told Sarah that she had only one job to do and that was to concentrate on getting better so she could have fun playing with her toys next summer and that he wanted to see her at the mall this same time next year. Sarah promised she would. Santa then leaned down, kissed her on the forehead left her room. Sara’s mother and grandmother followed him out into the hallway and thanked and hugged him. Tears finally let loose in his eyes, it was the least I could do he said and he left.
The next year Santa was back at that mall in Milwaukee hearing all the requests from the little boys and girls who visited him. Then one little girl came up to him and said hi Santa, do you remember me? Well of course, because Santa remembers all the little boys and girls and he wants to make all of them feel special. The little girl added that’d you came to see me in the hospital last year. Santa’s jaw just dropped! It was little Sarah. She had changed so much with rosy cheeks and a full head of hair now. Sarah, he said loudly, as tears formed in his eyes and then he hugged her and looked over to the side to see Sarah’s mom and grandmother waving at him and wiping their eyes. Sarah was now cancer-free, and now while hugging this little miracle girl he looked up toward the sky said whispered thank you!
#1 Eric Madson of Tennessee dresses up as Santa many times a year when the real Santa can’t make it and Eric does a lot of Santa work. One day as Christmas was nearing Eric received a call from a nurse at a hospital telling him that a little boy there was very sick and he was asking to see Santa. Eric said he would put his Santa suit on and be on his way there. There was an urgency in the nurses voice when she said you need to come right now.
Eric was at the hospital in 15 minutes and as he was preparing to walk into the room the little boy’s mother gave him a toy so he could give her to her son he nodded and took the toy then entered the intensive care unit room. The little boy looked almost asleep with his eyes half closed. Santa told him that he can’t miss Christmas because he was Santa’s number one elf. The little boy opened his eyes wider and Santa assured him that he was and then he gave him his toy. While the little boy could barely open it, but when he saw what it was his smile went so wide and then he laid his head back down and now the little boy had an important question for Santa. They say I’m going to die he said how can I tell when I get to where I’m going? Santa, holding in his emotions told him, okay, now when you get there you tell them that you’re Santa’s number one elf and I know they’ll let you in. They will? asked the boy. Santa nodded and assured him, then the boy hugs Shana and asked Santa if he could help him.
Before Santa could say anything else the little boy with his arms wrapped around Santa, died. Eric knew he was gone but he held on to him a few more minutes as he finally let go of those emotions and tears flowed down his cheeks. When the little boy’s family realized what had happened they all broke down and cried. As Eric was driving back to his home he had to pull off the road several times to regain his composure. It was very hard, it’s just something you can’t let go of. He even thought of giving up as Santa’s standin, but then he realized the joy he gave so many children like putting on that big red suit so he continued and he continued through the season to make children smile and give them something to look forward to and have hope and he continued to be jolly but behind that long white beard and a belly like a bowl full of jelly it’s a heart that beats with a little crack in it and that little crack happened back when he hugged a little boy and told him he was his number one elf.