Controversy Surrounds Santa Visit Story Allegedly About Dying Boy

Reevaluating the Heartwarming Santa Visit: Allegations of Fabricated Story Surface by Thomas Phippen The touching narrative of Santa Claus visiting a terminally ill child and the child passing away in his arms may not be accurate after all. Since its emergence on Sunday, the story describing Santa performer Eric Schmitt-Matzen bringing a toy to a gravely ill five-year-old and the child dying during the encounter has been widely circulated and reported by various outlets. However, the Knoxville News Sentinel issued an editorial statement on Wednesday indicating that the story lacks sufficient verification and they no longer endorse its accuracy. According to Schmitt-Matzen, he was asked to visit a young boy in the hospital with a gift, and upon delivering it and encouraging the boy to boast about being Santa’s top elf, the child unexpectedly passed away. Schmitt-Matzen recounted, "I wrapped my arms around him. Before I could say anything, he died right there. I just held him, refusing to let go." While Schmitt-Matzen regularly performs as Santa at private events and malls, only this aspect of the story can be confirmed independently. The Knoxville paper notes that Schmitt-Matzen dec...