Santa and Mrs. Claus are once again back on their throne at Londonderry Mall.
“It’s been great. The first day back was very emotional for me to tell you the truth,” said Santa.
“Santa and Mrs. Claus received so many hugs and best wishes that we were back and it was, Santa really appreciated it.”
Santa went to the hospital in the summer of 2017 with a throat infection.
“It turned out to be more than a throat infection. He ended up in a coma, ICU, I think he had eight super bugs, the head of infectious diseases didn’t even expect him to live,” said Nicole Hawley, Santa’s granddaughter.
He spent a total of six months in hospital, 10 weeks in the intensive care unit and three weeks in a coma.
“We don’t know how, we don’t know why, but he’s still with us,” Hawley said.
In Sept. 2017, Hawley put out a plea on social media, asking for photos people had taken with her grandfather.
“I had no idea. I was honestly expecting a handful of photos because I was literally a stranger asking other strangers to send me photos of their children,” she said.
She received thousands of photos and messages that she and her grandmother, Mrs. Claus, shared with Santa in the hospital.
“I just want to say thank you to everybody that responded to my granddaughter’s request for pictures and articles and I really appreciate it and I will never forget it,” said Santa
Santa made it home to his family in time for Christmas 2017.
“It was a miracle. Literally, it was a miracle last year. And I know people find it difficult to really understand that but I guess when you’re in that position and you actually see that miracle do you really believe,” said Mrs. Claus.
“If it wasn’t for that support he would not be here,” she added.
Santa said he feels great, and was excited to return to Londonderry mall this season.
“I’m so happy to be back. And even every day we’re still getting hugs and best wishes and people saying how glad that we are back and that they really missed us and I say to them that I missed them just as much as they missed me,” Santa said.
“Even the children are saying, ‘I’m glad you’re back Santa,’” Mrs. Claus said. “And we get that just about every day and it’s so heartwarming.”
Hawley got to see her grandfather doing what he loves during a special pet event at the mall.
“Just seeing him I had to hold back the tears for sure because I didn’t think he’d ever be sitting back in that chair,” she said. “Thank you to all the people who shared their stories.”
Santa and Mrs. Claus are at the mall most days from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday’s and Thursday’s from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. They take a break on Wednesday’s to do volunteer work.
