A Secret Santa With White House Connections Brings Christmas Cheer to Sick Children
Kelsey Bolar /
Some sick children in Texas just got the surprise of their young lives: Santa Claus dropped by the Children’s Medical Center of Dallas to hand out toys.
But this surprise visitor wasn’t just one of Santa’s legion of merry helpers. This was former President George W. Bush, looking like a jolly old elf indeed in his Santa Claus costume and beard.
Some might call the former president somewhat of a “Secret Santa,” because no media were called to cover the event.
“Guess who just came and gave Emily a Christmas present dressed in a Santa suit with Secret Service and all?!?!?”
In fact, the press didn’t catch wind of Bush’s stint as Santa, which apparently occurred Dec. 16, until reports surfaced Saturday after someone posted an image on Twitter.
According to The Daily Mail, Natalie Smith, whose daughter Emily recently underwent a heart replacement, wrote on Facebook:
@timothy_stanley George W Bush just did it this week at Children's Medical Center Dallas to hand out toys. pic.twitter.com/mD5ndeI98u
— Sarah Stevenson (@sarahrstevenson) December 20, 2014
Smith lost another daughter, Shayde, earlier this year to a rare heart disease called restrictive cardiomyopathy. Emily had heart transplant surgery for the same condition, but her body began to reject the new heart.
Her girls’ condition prevented Natalie Smith from working. A GoFundMe page has been set up to post updates and collect donations for the family’s medical costs.
Five years ago, CBS News reported on the two sisters’ rare condition. See that report here:
In addition to his white beard and red suit and hat with trimming, Bush apparently arrived at the hospital in Dallas with Secret Service agents dressed as Santa’s elves.
@redsteeze I was just looking at the pic again. It does look that way. pic.twitter.com/TQjH5rSHIb
— Sarah Stevenson (@sarahrstevenson) December 20, 2014
No word on what was inside Santa’s wrapped presents, but there’s no question he brought holiday cheer to families during a difficult time.