Update: After this story went viral and was picked up by news agencies around the world, The Washington Post attempted to verify the details of this story and Schmitt-Matzen's account. The paper was unable to find enough evidence to meet the standards of verification.
Matzen however claims to be withholding details to protect hospital staff and the boy's family. He says, "If some people want to call me a liar…I can handle that better than I can handle a child dying in my arms."
For most of the year, Eric Schmitt-Matzen works as a mechanical engineer at his own company near Knoxville, TN. However, his undeniable resemblance to Santa Claus means that he spends much of the holiday season working around 80 gigs as a professionally trained Father Christmas.
Schmitt-Matzen's impressive and award-winning beard isn't the only reason why he's as close to the real-deal Santa as you can get: He also spends all of December sporting Santa suspenders (even when off duty) and has his ringtone set to jingle bells.
He weighs 31o pounds and stands at 6-feet tall, making him the perfect build to play Santa.
However, what truly makes Schmitt-Matzen a professional is that he embodies the giving and jolly spirit of Santa on the inside, too.
Schmitt-Matzen showed us just how Santa-like he really is when he answered a call from a nurse a few weeks ago.
He shared with USA Today that he had just gotten home from work when the phone rang and a nurse he knew asked him to report to the hospital immediately.
The nurse explained that a 5-year-old boy wanted to see Santa right away. Schmitt-Matzen said he'd be over after he changed into his custom-made Santa suit, but the nurse said that there wasn't even time for that.
Fifteen minutes later, Schmitt-Matzen was outside the little boy's hospital room, where he met his mother and was given a PAW Patrol toy to deliver to the child.
Schmitt-Matzen explained: "I sized up the situation and told everyone, 'If you think you're going to lose it, please leave the room. If I see you crying, I'll break down and can't do my job.'"
As Santa, he entered the room alone.
Schmitt-Matzen described the scene to the Knoxville News Sentinel: "He was lying 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!'
"He looked up and said, 'I am?'
"I said, 'Sure!'
"I gave him the present. He was so weak he could barely open the wrapping paper. When he saw what was inside, he flashed a big smile and laid his head back down.
"'They say I'm gonna die,' he told me. 'How can I tell when I get to go where I'm going?'
"I said, 'Can you do me a big favor?'
"He said, 'Sure!'
"'When you get there, you tell 'em you're Santa's Number One elf, and I know they'll let you in.'
"He said, 'They will?'
"I said, 'Sure!'
"He kinda sat up and gave me a big hug and asked one more question: 'Santa, can you help me?'
"I wrapped my arms around him. Before I could say anything, he died right there. I let him stay, just kept hugging and holding on to him."
When his family outside realized what happened, they ran into the room, understandably devastated.
Schmitt-Matzen explained that despite his time in the Army and exposure to death, he couldn't help but cry as he ran out of the room past the nurses' station.
The experience initially made Schmitt-Matzen question whether he could handle his role as Santa.
"I cried all the way home," he said. "I was crying so hard, I had a tough time seeing good enough to drive."
Schmitt-Matzen heroically returned to work as Santa, realizing the difference he can and did make. He said, "When I saw all those children laughing, it brought me back to the fold. It made me realize the role I have to play."
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