Giving gifts to one another is a common Christmas tradition, and most of
the time, the entire family gathers to enjoy this joyous event. But there
was a depressing tale of a local Santa Claus who made the decision to grant
a youngster his one last request.
A mechanical engineer called Eric Schmitt-Matzen, the president and owner
of Packing Seals & Engineering in Jacksboro, is reported to dress up as
everyone's favorite Christmas symbol each year, according to a BBC News
article from December 2016. Sadly, one day he got a startling call asking
for his Santa in a unique situation.
He was informed that a five-year-old kid who was afflicted with an
unidentified medical ailment wanted to visit him, so he hurried to a
Tennessee hospital right once.
In order to be "the happy guy" and help the little kid forget his troubles,
Schmitt-Matzen advised family members to leave the room if they were going
to be upset or weep the entire time he was there.
"It's serious, leave the room now. In an interview with WCBD News 2 in
December 2016, he recalled assuring the family, "Afterwards, I'll sit out
there and I'll cry with you."
When he arrived, the young guy received a gift from him—a toy that the
boy's mother had purchased from the cartoon series "Paw Patrol."
Schmitt-Matzen assisted him as he "could barely unwrap it."
He said that he had already arranged the gift for the youngster, who had
been requesting the item for a while.
He remembered at the time that the small youngster was more worried about
missing the Christmas celebrations than he was about dying since, for the
most part, children are quite innocent and do not really comprehend the
notion of death.
Schmitt-Matzen, disguised as Santa Claus, told the youngster he was
"Santa's number one elf" when he "gets up those pearly gates" in response to
the boy's question about where he would go after death. This was reported by
NBC News.
The tiny child sat up, hugged him, and said, "Santa, can you help me?" when
they had finished their conversation. Sadly, the young child died in his
grasp at that same time.
He said, "I looked up, tears streaming down my face, and looked over at the
window and that's when (his) mom started screaming." That's when he felt the
life drain from him.
He hurried out of the hospital as soon as possible after the
incident.
"I seen my fair share of (things) during my four years in the Army with the
75th Rangers. However, I went by the nursing station sobbing
uncontrollably," he remembered.
He was unable to let go of the sentimental event, and at one point he
considered giving up on his Santa Claus costume. However, he later saw that
he had to act in the children's best interests.
"Seeing all those kids laughing made me feel like I belonged again." It
helped me see the part I must play. For both of us, he remarked.
Additionally, he said to BBC News, "I'll do it if somebody calls." Though
it aches, I'll persevere.
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