TEMPE, Ariz.—One Christmas shopping season, a young boy sat on Tim Connaghan’s lap and asked Santa for a very special gift: To bring his mother back from heaven.
Connaghan paused, searching for the right words. With gentle care, he leaned in and told the boy that even Santa could not do everything.
Santa’s abilities were limited to creating toys—but he could also pray for his mother.
The boy nodded.
Being Santa is not always fun or easy, says Connaghan.
“You’ve got to be ready for what happens,” he said, adding that becoming the best Santa is essential, meaningful, and most importantly, “magical.”…