Less than two weeks before Christmas, Santa took some time out of his busy schedule to visit kids at the Stollery Children’s Hospital in Edmonton.
With Rudolph and the other reindeer resting up in the North Pole, Santa had some help from the 408 Squadron and arrived by military helicopter.
“This is a great opportunity. It is always a bit of magic that comes with this,” Major Sylvain Lapierre said.
Cheers erupted in the Stollery as Santa surprised dozens of kids.
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It’s a moment that not only helps celebrate the season but provides both patients and their families a chance to forget about their problems.
“So many of our families aren’t able to get out of hospital at this time of year,” said the Stollery’s Lois Wolgemuth.
“All of the special events and special visitors, and especially Santa Claus, coming to see the children and the families here mean so very much to everybody,” she added.
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Among the patients was a 15-month-old boy named Nash. He’s had five open heart surgeries and has spent half his life at the Stollery.
“He’s so excited to be here,” his mom Ashley Balysky said. “I’m not sure what he’s going to think of Santa because we have seen Santa before and it didn’t go over very well.”
The kids all received gifts from Santa, which were provided by members of the 408 Squadron. They donated more than $1,000 to buy teddy bears.