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| Terminally ill boy dies in Santa's arms | Terminally ill boy dies in Santa's arms |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| A US man who dresses up as Santa Claus fulfilled a dying boy's Christmas wish by visiting him at his bedside, before the youngster passed away in his arms. | A US man who dresses up as Santa Claus fulfilled a dying boy's Christmas wish by visiting him at his bedside, before the youngster passed away in his arms. |
| Eric Schmitt-Matzen rushed to a local Tennessee hospital after receiving a call about a terminally ill five-year-old boy who wanted to see Santa Claus. | |
| The 60-year-old impersonator said he gave the child a present and a big hug before holding him as he died. | The 60-year-old impersonator said he gave the child a present and a big hug before holding him as he died. |
| The boy's family watched on from the hallway as they cried, he told the BBC. | The boy's family watched on from the hallway as they cried, he told the BBC. |
| "When I felt the life go from him, I looked up, tears running down my face, and looked over at the window and that's when [his] mom started screaming," he said. | |
| Mr Schmitt-Matzen said he had asked family members to remain outside the room if they were going to break down in tears when he arrived for the visit. | |
| "I have to be the happy guy that makes this kid feel great and smile and forget his worries," he said. | "I have to be the happy guy that makes this kid feel great and smile and forget his worries," he said. |
| "I said, 'If you're going to lose it, you have step out in the hallway and afterwards, I'll stand out in the hall and cry with you.'" | |
| The Santa doppelganger, a mechanical engineer and president of Packing Seals & Engineering in Jacksboro, was born on Saint Nicholas Day (6 December) and has played the role professionally for six years. | The Santa doppelganger, a mechanical engineer and president of Packing Seals & Engineering in Jacksboro, was born on Saint Nicholas Day (6 December) and has played the role professionally for six years. |
| His wife, Sharon, also dresses up as Mrs Claus. | His wife, Sharon, also dresses up as Mrs Claus. |
| While some Santas have gone 30 or 40 years without ever paying a death bed visit, Mr Schmitt-Matzen said he has four times. | While some Santas have gone 30 or 40 years without ever paying a death bed visit, Mr Schmitt-Matzen said he has four times. |
| "The little guys and girls have a hard time fathoming the whole concept of death, but they know Christmas and they know they have a lot of fun" he said. | "The little guys and girls have a hard time fathoming the whole concept of death, but they know Christmas and they know they have a lot of fun" he said. |
| "He [the boy in the latest case] was more concerned about missing Christmas than he was about dying. All he knew was he didn't feel good." | "He [the boy in the latest case] was more concerned about missing Christmas than he was about dying. All he knew was he didn't feel good." |
| Mr Schmitt-Matzen said he gave the boy a toy from the television show PAW Patrol that his mother had purchased. | Mr Schmitt-Matzen said he gave the boy a toy from the television show PAW Patrol that his mother had purchased. |
| The boy asked him where he was going after he died, and Mr Schmitt-Matzen told him he was "Santa's Number One elf" and he would be welcomed. | The boy asked him where he was going after he died, and Mr Schmitt-Matzen told him he was "Santa's Number One elf" and he would be welcomed. |
| The child then sat up to give his visitor a hug and he asked one final question: "Santa, can you help me?" | The child then sat up to give his visitor a hug and he asked one final question: "Santa, can you help me?" |
| Moments later, he died in Mr Schmitt-Matzen's arms. | |
| "It's still tough to relive," he told the BBC. | "It's still tough to relive," he told the BBC. |
| When asked if he would continue to put on the red suit, Mr Schmitt-Matzen said: "If somebody calls I'll do it. It hurts, but I'll do it." | When asked if he would continue to put on the red suit, Mr Schmitt-Matzen said: "If somebody calls I'll do it. It hurts, but I'll do it." |