You will recall that, earlier this week, we shared an inspiring viral photo depicting what happened when Santa Claus met a young boy with autism. Well, the mother of the child from the picture has spoken out, and her story has just added to the magic of the image.
Mum Erin Deely has opened up about what the moment and the photo mean to her and her husband who, she admits, gave up long ago on the prospect of getting a ‘traditional’ photo of son Brayden with Santa.
Their dream – and six-year-old Brayden’s – came true when he participated in the Caring Santa programme, organised by Autism Speaks, a fortnight ago.
This gave Brayden an opportunity to meet the man in the big red suit on his terms – and it worked out perfectly for the “shy” little boy.
“He got down on his stomach and just started playing with him. They didn’t even talk to each other, really, they just bonded and played, and Brayden started to be really excited and started looking at him and smiling,” Erin told Today.com.
The delighted mum added that being able to do something this ‘normal’ with such a positive outcome has been an incredible boost for Brayden and the entire family.
“At the end, Brayden didn’t want to leave. He kept saying, ‘More Santa’,” revealed Erin. Isn’t that everything a parent wants to hear and more?
