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5-year-old Mateo loves to sing. Fortunately, her boss is dedicated to spreading Christmas cheer, so she is allowed to sing while she works. Mateo is Santa’s helper. She got the job through the Make-a-Wish Foundation, reports CBS Sacramento.
Mateo was diagnosed with leukemia at 2 years old and had to spend much of his life indoors, even before the pandemic. During his days at home, he loves to see the postman. “When I hear it coming, I rush to the window and look at it,” Mateo told CBS Sacramento. “He’s just nice to us.”
His dream is to become a postman himself, but since that dream cannot be fulfilled during the pandemic, Make-a-Wish helped him land a similar role: collecting letters for Santa.
CBS Sacramento
The boy stands outside a Macy’s in Stockton, California, collects the letters and places them in a large red mailbox while singing to passersby.
His mother, Cynthia Toscano, hopes the job will lift her spirits. “He’s had a really bad time in the last few years,” he said. “I think something like this is what I really needed.”
While collecting letters for Santa, a familiar face happened to see Mateo. Kari Martinelli, a family friend, left a letter to Santa and had a very identifiable Christmas wish. “Happiness and the end of COVID,” he said.
Once COVID-19 is over, or at least when things are safer, Make-a-Wish plans to give Mateo a true postman experience. Until then, he’s happy to be Santa’s helper, singing as he works.
