Santa, firefighters cheer sick kids at Advocate Sherman Hospital
The Elgin Fire Department escorted a special visitor through the halls of Advocate Sherman Hospital on Christmas morning - Santa.
The jolly man in red visited some of the hospital's youngest patients, delivered presents, candy canes and holiday spirit to families spending the day on the pediatric floor or in the emergency room.
"It was awesome," said Kyle Beason, 13, of Burlington, who was being discharged later Friday.
Santa, played by John Botkin of Bolingbrook, said it is kind of a "bucket list" item for him to dress up in the red suit and light up the faces of sick kids.
"Kids in the hospital is sad any time of year, but especially on Christmas morning," said Botkin, whose son, Nathan, is an Elgin firefighter.
Some of the patients may have been too young to recognize Santa, but their parents were delighted by the visit.
"It's a very special Christmas this year," said Christy David of South Elgin, who was taking her 2-week-old daughter, Avery, home after a bout with jaundice. "It's our first baby, so this is the perfect gift."
Botkin - or Santa - also held newborn baby Cherish Davis of Elgin, who was born on Tuesday.
Cherish's mother, Janelle, said her baby won't remember the Christmas visit, but she will share the memory when her daughter is older.
Spending the holiday in the emergency room is not what most parents envision, but Jason Barnard said Santa hugging his 9-year-old daughter, Reghan, made it "a little better."
"Santa came to cheer you up," Jennifer Pirog of Carol Stream told her 2½-year-old son, Nathan, as they checked into the ER on Friday.
Nathan was having a little trouble breathing but still managed to give Santa a high-five.
"This was a nice little surprise," said Nathan's dad, Steve Pirog.
This is the second year the fire department has made the rounds at Sherman Hospital on Christmas.
"We work because it's our choice, but these kids don't get a choice to be in the hospital today," said Elgin Fire Battalion Chief Terry Bruce.