Riding in style on top of the Boston Fire Department’s Ladder 10, Santa and Mrs. Clause made a surprise visit to Shriner’s Hospital Wednesday.
“Hopefully our goal is the kids just forget, even if it’s for a moment, the pain and suffering that they’re going through,” said Steve Turley of Boston Firefighters Burn Foundation.
The foundation has lifted Santa up to see kids recovering from burns for 17 years, and the kids are delighted.
“I saw kids cheering and laughing because he was coming,” 11-year-old Anthony said.
Anthony suffered massive burn injuries in a cooking accident when he was one year old. He just had reconstructive surgery on his wrist, and he says no toy can top the gift of healing at Shriner’s.
“Nothing right now because I think this is my gift,” he said.
The firefighters call this a “rescue mission.”
“We try to rescue some of the sadness, some of the difficulties that they’re going through, and hopefully we get a smile out on their face,” Turley said.
Santa said, “When you bring a little joy into someone’s heart who’s had a very bad day, it makes it all better.”
For Anthony, the best part was seeing the smiles of the kids’ faces.
“It’s pretty cool that he came and cheered up the kids because some kids can’t walk or leave the building,” he said. “So it was nice that he came to visit.”