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SALT LAKE CITY — A couple dozen good little boys and girls and their families flew with Delta Air Lines to the North Pole on Saturday.
At least that's what many of them thought they were doing.
Turns out, Delta's hangar doubles as a winter wonderland. And Delta employees, who volunteered their time to be a part of it all, make pretty good elves.
"I'm just blown away," said Mari Hogelin, of Draper. "It's just amazing. It's been a cool ride."
Her daughter, Stella, 7, has cerebral palsy and has been undergoing therapy at Shriners Hospital for Children to help her walk. "She's to the point where a lot of people don't know she has a problem with it," Mari Hogelin said.
Stella and her younger sister, Evie, were on the passenger list, and were excited to see Santa, but, especially Mrs. Claus, after the plane arrived at the hangar Saturday.
"I wish she didn't have (cerebral palsy), but we've had so many experiences that are memorable because of it," Mari Hogelin said. "It's a horrible thing, but at the other end, there are so many positives that have come out of it."
For five years, Delta has turned one of its local hangars into a place where kids can be kids, where everyone understands what they're going through and where the family can spend time together.
"There are so many times with these kids when everything has to be separate, taking them to appointments, it's hard," said Laura Hollingshead, a recreation therapist at Shriners. She said Delta helps to "create one of those life-changing, memorable experiences" for everyone involved.
Flight staff sang carols and told jokes, served snacks and prepared the group, which included parents and siblings of about 30 child patients at Shriners and Primary Children's Hospital, for landing. For many of them, it was their first airplane ride, and, while the plane never left the ground, the magic of it all showed on their faces.
"It means a lot to them," said Tony Klekas, managing director of airport operations for Delta. "It really cheers them up."
Delta, he said, is focused on giving back to the communities it serves. Salt Lake City is one of the major airline's seven hub cities where a large number of employees are based.
The Santa Express event is something they all line up for.
"You either have the day off or you take the day off to be here," said Roberta Hightower, who works in Delta's airport coordination center and was decked from head to toe in red and white.
"You should see their faces. When they come off the plane, they look around and they know its all for them," she said. "It's fun because this is their time to get out and forget why they have to be in a hospital."
Tyler and Josie Robinson woke up early and brought their three young children on a treacherously snowy, five-hour drive to make the flight. Their son, Teagun, age 4, has type II mucopolysaccharidosis, or Hunter syndrome, which is a progressively debilitating condition.
Until there's a cure, little Teagun must receive weekly blood transfusions to give him an enzyme that his own body is missing.
"As a parent, you don't understand what it is like to have a sick kid until you're there," Tyler Robinson said, adding that the fun time spent with his family on Saturday was precious and priceless.
You should see their faces. When they come off the plane, they look around and they know it's all for them. It's fun because this is their time to get out and forget why they have to be in a hospital.
–Roberta Hightower
"We've got an amazing community," he said. "There is so much spirit here — the excitement, the energy. It's amazing."
He hopes people everywhere will be more comfortable approaching children who may seem different or ill.
"The only thing they want is love and to be acknowledged," Tyler Robinson said. "That's way better than being standoffish."
The kids were treated to a variety of treats, fun crafts, including a toy plane, wooden car, a reindeer crown, and a set of wings they could wear on their backs. Each kid was also given a gift, something special from their own Christmas list.
The special treatment, Hollingshead said, is validating and encourages the patients to keep going, as some of them face very difficult futures.
It was difficult for Mari Hogelin, Tyler Robinson, and others, to hold back the tears. Klekas said that seeing the kids happy makes everything worthwhile.
"Having kids keeps you young," Mari Hogelin said. "Christmas is such a magical thing. It is wonderful to be able to experience it like this."
