Local Santa tells story of terminal 5-year-old receiving his last Christmas wish

UPDATE: Dec. 15, 2016, 8:40 a.m. EST The original outlet who published this story, The Knoxville News Sentinel, has since published an update calling into question the veracity of Schmitt-Matzen's story. After questioning local hospitals, trying to find the location of the incident, the paper now says that the story, "can't be verified."

Eric Schmitt-Matzen is the perfect Santa Claus. His cheeks are a rosy red, his beard white and thick and topped off with a curly cartoonish curly mustache. His voice is deep and his eyes twinkle.To the children he greets, he is the Santa Claus.

A month and a half ago Schmitt-Matzen received an urgent call from a local hospital near Knoxville, Tennessee. According to WBIR, he had just got home from work when the call came through; there was a sick boy wished to see Santa Claus.

"He was more concerned about missing Christmas, than dying," Schmitt-Matzen told WBIR.

Schmitt-Matzen arrived at the hospital and met with the family. He cleared the room for fear that he would start to cry, and his mother handed over a gift to give the boy, a toy that he had been wanting.

"When I got there, it was my job to make sure he got Christmas," Schmitt-Matzen said.

Schmitt-Matzen explained what happened in that room to a the Knoxville News Sentinel.

“When I walked in, he was laying 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 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."

“Everyone outside the room realized what happened. His mother ran in. She was screaming, ‘No, no, not yet!’ I handed her son back and left as fast as I could."

“My wife and I were scheduled to visit our grandchildren in Nashville the next day, but I told her to go by herself," Schmitt-Matzen told the Sentinel. "I was a basket case for three days. It took me a week or two to stop thinking about it all the time. Actually, I thought I might crack up and never be able to play the part again.”

Since then, Schmitt-Matzen has decided to keep spreading the Christmas cheer because the happy moments make it worth it.

“People don’t know all the things Santas do...All in all, 98 percent of it is fun,” he told WBIR.