Christmas inspiration: Hospice extends gift to Santa himself

By Jason Williams,
Williams is a writer, researcher and founder of the Taxpayers Association of Oregon.

After playing the town’s Santa for 49 years, Ray Melnick’s hopes for the 50^th this year were derailed by fast cancer spreading in his lungs, pancreas and stomach which forced him into hospice.  The hospice staff created their own mini-Santa event, invited their own children so he could have an audience, and even hid Ray’s breathing tube under the beard.  A teddy bear toy that recorded his final “Ho. Ho. Ho.” was given to his grandchildren.