Archive for December, 2009

JT’s Santa Story

This story began the day after John-Thomas Hughes (JT) visited with Santa prior to Christmas in 2007.

You see, in 2007, JT was an eight year old young man who had Autism and who happened to love Santa Claus. For that Christmas all JT wanted was his very own Santa Suit…it was all he talked about for weeks leading up to Christmas. Well much to JT’s delight Santa delivered.  JT’s Santa Suit was perfect, with a furry hat, a big red coat and a beard as white as snow. JT tore open the package and put on his suit and began to play Santa, taking things from around the house and bringing them to guests as his way of gift giving, all with a big…Ho Ho Hoo. JT wore his Santa Suit for the rest of that winter, into the Spring, Summer and Fall, right up until Christmas 2008.

Christmas 2008 arrived. What to get JT for this Christmas? This was the question everyone asked and we had no answers. But without telling anyone, JT knew exactly what he wanted.

When JT’s mother took him to see Santa, what JT asked for came as a big surprise. For his wish was not something that she could order on line, or just go to the toy store to purchase; JT whispered to Santa that he would like Santa to leave him…..Santa’s Sleigh.

Christmas time is a time of miracles but to actually get Santa’s Sleigh or one built for an 8 year old little boy with Autism seemed almost too much to ask for. One common trait of a child with Autism, called stimming, is that once they get an idea about something, it can tend to be all they talk about and think about.

But like all parents who love their children and would try to grant their every wish, JT’s mom and dad went on the hunt to find JT’s very own Santa’s Sleigh. Store after store and magazine after magazine they hunted, but no sleigh was sturdy enough for an 8 year old autistic child to play in. No one wanted little JT to be disappointed.

With less than 3 weeks till Christmas, JT’s mother asked her mother (better known as Memom) to see if she could help. So off Memom went, to every hardware store in her town and in the surrounding towns. Lots of people tried to come up with ideas, but no one was able to find or locate a sleigh other than one meant for lawn decorations.

Then, after many unsuccessful tries, Memom ventured into Mueller’s Florist in Manasquan a flower shop in a neighboring town that is known for great holiday decorations and custom flower arrangements. She hoped that just maybe they could find a sleigh here.

There, three young ladies listened to Memom’s story but they too could not come up with any ideas.  Another lady who worked at the shop, named Vicky Renner who had overheard Memom’s plight came and asked if she could help. Memom again retold her story of young JT who had Autism and his only wish for Christmas of getting Santa’s Sleigh. In a flash Vicky who absolutely loved Christmas and the meaning of Christmas grabbed paper and a pen and drew a perfect sleigh and asked if this is what JT had asked for? With a sad look Memom said yes, but we have no way to get one and time is running out.

Vicky then asked Memom for a little time so she could talk to her husband Billy, a local contactor to see if he could help with the project.  Excited but still a bit nervous Memom phoned her daughter to tell her that she might have found a sleigh.  Her daughter was thrilled and asked what will it look like?  Memom wasn’t sure. So her daughter asked what will it cost?  Again, Memom wasn’t sure. Finally her daughter asked when will it be ready? Memom wasn’t sure. With so many unknowns JT’s mom wasn’t confident that Christmas would really satisfy her little boy.

Memom and Vicky phoned back and forth and the more they talked, the more confidence she gained that the sleigh would be perfect, but others who didn’t meet Vicky were unsure if this unknown lady could really help, and what price would we have to pay, considering that Memom went into a very exclusive shop to ask for a custom sleigh to be made.

Finally, on the Sunday before Christmas Vicky called Memom, the sleigh was ready and they would like to like to put JT’s name on it. So with the artistic hands and love from Santa’s helpers, the Renner’s, Vicky, Billy and their daughter Victoria, they added JT’s name to the sleigh that they built and painted, custom just for JT.

With time running out and Christmas just a few short days away Memom called JT’s mom and dad and told them they needed to pick up a sleigh from Vicky’s house, a sleigh that neither of them had ever seen. So off went JT’s mom and dad along with grand pop to pick up the sleigh. Meanwhile, Memom, jumping out of her skin, waited at home with JT and his little sister. What would her daughter say when she phoned that the sleigh was picked up? Was this truly the Christmas miracle that we all wait all our lives for? Twenty minutes passed. Thirty minutes passed. Then the phone rang, and with tears in her voice Memom heard …. “You did great, it is beautiful and we did get a Christmas Miracle”.

Memom asked her daughter how much the sleigh had cost them?  To her amazement, Vicky and her husband would not accept money. It was their gift of love, they only wanted to help JT to have his Christmas dreams come true.

Vicky and her husband taught all of us what Christmas and the holidays are all about; it is about sharing the love in your heart and about thinking of others when you are so busy and really have no time for one more project.

So on this Christmas you can ride past JT’s house and see a red sleigh with JT’s initials on it, and with any luck you might even see a little man in a red Santa suit ringing jingle bells and yelling Ho Ho Hoo —-Merry Christmas!

Regardless of what holiday you celebrate stories like this need to be told and shared. Giving back is what it is all about. So this holiday try not to so much think about getting, but rather giving! Vicky and her family will never be forgotten.

So may God Bless you with a Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday!

PS: We hope you were able to read this wonderful true story and please join us in prayer that JT doesn’t ask for Santa’s reindeers for next Christmas!

Many of the Team for Autism Team members will be heading to Lake Como on Saturday December 12th to to participate and join forces with Team Wilton at the Jingle Bell’s Run/Walk to Fight Arthritis.

Brian Wilton has been an extremely active member and supporter of The JT Foundation for Autism as well as many other worthy causes. It is time to give back to a GIVER>

If you can not make it to run then please consider making a donation (even a $1.00) via the following link. Arthritis is something that my family is dealing with, much like many of yours.

http://2009jbrwlakecomo.kintera.org/faf/search/searchTeamPart.asp?ievent=315468&lis=1&kntae315468=C016BE8ACC5F42C1BE5F90B924389D5D&team=3553785

Hope everyone isn’t being NAUGHTY…You know who’s watching…SETH>