Faithwire
  • Watch
  • Go!
  • Podcasts
  • Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • SCOTUS
  • Life
  • Religious Liberty
  • News
  • Politics
  • Faith
  • Opinion

The Incredibly Emotional Story Behind This Santa — an Ex-Army Ranger — Granting a 5-Year-Old Boy His Final Wish

Facebook
Facebook
Share Tweet
By Billy Hallowell
Editor

December 12, 2016

A man who regularly plays Santa Claus recently performed a selfless and compassionate act that left him so emotionally wrecked he thought he’d have to permanently hang up his boots, suit and hat.

Eric Schmitt-Matzen, 60, is a mechanical engineer in Knoxville, Tennessee, who doubles as Santa, oft-times donning red suspenders — or a full costume — in an effort to spread Christmas cheer.

But his long-held career as Mr. Claus almost came to an end a few weeks ago after he received a phone call from a nurse at a local hospital, asking if he would quickly rush to see a terminally-ill 5-year-old little boy who really wanted to see Santa.

“I told her, ‘OK, just let me change into my outfit.’ She said, ‘There isn’t time for that. Your Santa suspenders are good enough. Come right now,'” he recalled the nurse telling him, according to the Knoxville News Sentinel.

So, he rushed to the hospital. Knowing it would be an emotional experience, Schmitt-Matzen met with the boy’s family and asked that no one come into the room if they thought they would cry, as he said he, too, wouldn’t be able to hold it together. Considering their emotional state, the family watched from outside the room as “Santa” went inside.

“When I walked in, he was laying there, so weak it looked like he was ready to fall asleep. I sat down on his bed and asked, ‘Say, what’s this I hear about you’re gonna miss Christmas? There’s no way you can miss Christmas! Why, you’re my number one elf!” Schmitt-Matzen told the News Sentinel. “He looked up and said, ‘I am?’ I said, ‘Sure!’”

That’s when he gave the boy a present and the child smiled after opening it. Then, the boy asked a heart-breaking question: “How can I tell when I get to where I’m going?” Schmitt-Matzen — still in character — responded by asking the boy to do him a big favor.

“When you get there, you tell ’em you’re Santa’s number one elf, and I know they’ll let you in,” he said.

Then, the little boy sat up and hugged Schmitt-Matzen before asking him one more question: “Santa, can you help me?” Schmitt-Matzen hugged the boy back, but quickly realized the child had died in his arms.

The family came rushing in and Schmitt-Matzen left as fast as he could, crying as he exited the hospital and drove home.

He said it took days for him to stop thinking about what had unfolded. While he served in the Army with the 75th Rangers and saw his “share of” things, he said he couldn’t help but cry his eyes out; he also wondered how doctors and nurses cope with seeing such things so regularly — and initially thought he might quit playing Santa.

In the end, though, Schmitt-Matzen realized his role brings joy to many, so he decided to continue on. Read the incredibly touching story here.

(H/T: Knoxville News Sentinel)

—

Other Must-Read Stories:

– This Stunning A Cappella Version of ‘Carol of the Bells’ Is Sure to Go Viral

– Mysterious Voice Led Cops to Save a Baby Girl — and This Officer Is Convinced It Was ‘Divine Intervention.’

– ‘Disprove that and Disprove the Faith’ – Atheist’s Two-Year, Investigative Quest to Debunk the Christian Faith Hinged on One Story

– Devastated Woman Who Wanted to Fatally ‘Overdose’ After Going Blind Credits Bible App With Literally Saving Her Life

Latest

  • culture

    BBC Reporter Earns Viral Praise For Abruptly Pausing On-Air to Correct Term ‘Pregnant People’

  • News

    Pastor’s Wife Deported: Family Speaks Out, Pleads for Mercy as Homeland Security Issues Statement

  • Faith

    Does Hamas Have a Diabolical Plan to Hurt Starving Gazans, Spread Lies?

  • Faith

    CCM Artist Rhett Walker Rebukes Those Condemning All Christian Music Amid Michael Tait Allegations

  • Faith

    Top Video Game Streamer Says He’s ‘Trying to Live Biblically,’ Going to Church Every Sunday


Sponsored
Sponsored

Newsletter
Signup

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Recent Posts

  • BBC Reporter Earns Viral Praise For Abruptly Pausing On-Air to Correct Term ‘Pregnant People’
  • Pastor’s Wife Deported: Family Speaks Out, Pleads for Mercy as Homeland Security Issues Statement
  • Does Hamas Have a Diabolical Plan to Hurt Starving Gazans, Spread Lies?
  • CCM Artist Rhett Walker Rebukes Those Condemning All Christian Music Amid Michael Tait Allegations
  • Top Video Game Streamer Says He’s ‘Trying to Live Biblically,’ Going to Church Every Sunday

Archives

  • June 2025
  • May 2025
  • April 2025
  • March 2025
  • February 2025
  • January 2025
  • December 2024
  • November 2024
  • October 2024
  • September 2024
  • August 2024
  • July 2024
  • June 2024
  • May 2024
  • April 2024
  • March 2024
  • February 2024
  • January 2024
  • December 2023
  • November 2023
  • October 2023
  • September 2023
  • August 2023
  • July 2023
  • June 2023
  • May 2023
  • April 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016

Categories

  • Christian Persecution
  • Coronavirus
  • culture
  • Culture
  • Entertainment
  • Faith
  • Faith
  • Family
  • George Floyd
  • Go!
  • Israel
  • Life
  • Life
  • Lifestyle
  • Media
  • Men
  • Mission Haiti
  • News
  • News
  • Opinion
  • P.O.V
  • Politics
  • Politics
  • Roe
  • Sponsored
  • Sports
  • Virtue
  • Women

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Navigation

  • Watch
  • Go!
  • Podcasts
  • Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • Staff
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram

Subscribe to the Newsletter

Sign up to get our newsletter your inbox every day.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Newsletter Signup

Do you want to read
more articles like this?

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.