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A Christmas 'Tail’: St. Anthony’s Hospital Santa Makes Wish Come True
December 24, 2024
Each year, BayCare’s St. Anthony’s Hospital hosts a Christmas party for the children of team members complete with a visit from Santa. And because he has seen Santa there every year since he was an infant, 8-year-old Mason Rutkowski feels that he has a special bond with Jolly Old St. Nick, portrayed by volunteer Greg Clarke.
When he met Santa earlier this month, he had a big request: a puppy. A black Labrador puppy, to be exact.
Would Santa be able to deliver? That’s where Christmas magic comes into this real-life fairy tale.
The youngster grew up with Lily, a black Lab. His mom, Heather Rutkowski, director of volunteer resources and guest services for BayCare’s St. Anthony’s and Morton Plant Mease hospitals, said Lily had been with the family for more than 14 years. But they lost Lily in July 2023. Since then, Mason has been asking for a dog to call his own.
“It’s at least been about once a week since Lily passed away,” Rutkowski said. But she and her husband resisted. He works for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and is especially busy during the NFL season. Meanwhile, Rutkowski was working on her master’s degree. She told their son that when she graduated, they likely would get a dog.
Graduation was in June, but still no dog.
So, Mason decided to turn to Santa for a puppy. In his letter to the big guy, he said that he wanted other presents but what he really wanted was a dog. “My dad says (it’s) he or the dog,” Mason wrote. “I would like to keep both.”
On Dec. 6, the night of the hospital’s annual Children’s Christmas Party, the young pup lover would get to ask Santa in person. Before the other kids arrived, Mason met Santa and Mrs. Claus. Clarke and his wife, Fran Russell, portray the jolly couple throughout the community during the holiday season.
Santa asked Mason a lot of questions including if he had been good this year. And then the talk turned to the little boy’s biggest wish.
After Mason told Santa how much he wanted a dog, Santa said he had something special in his sleigh and would be right back. When he came back, his arms were filled with a 14-pound black Lab puppy (provided by Mason’s parents, of course).
Mason kept blinking repeatedly as if he could not believe his eyes. But when he held her, an 8-week-old puppy named Winnie, he knew she was real. As he left with Winnie that night, Mason thanked Santa for the best gift ever.
Heather Rutkowski said she and her husband had no qualms about Santa giving their son the dog. “He’s 8,” she said. “How much longer will he believe?”
Santa also was happy to be a part of the wish. Although he’s asked all the time, Clarke has never been able to give a child a puppy. His stock answer is that puppies would jump out of the sleigh.
Mom says Mason and Winnie are now best friends. “He slept on the floor next to her crate and took her out by himself the first night,” she said. “We love seeing their bond and how Mason has taken responsibility for her.”
Mason has told his parents, “All my dreams have come true.”
Part of BayCare Health System, St. Anthony’s Hospital is located at 1200 Seventh Ave. North in St. Petersburg, Florida. For more information: StAnthonys.org.
Santa asked Mason a lot of questions including if he had been good this year. And then the talk turned to the little boy’s biggest wish.
After Mason told Santa how much he wanted a dog, Santa said he had something special in his sleigh and would be right back. When he came back, his arms were filled with a 14-pound black Lab puppy (provided by Mason’s parents, of course).
Mason kept blinking repeatedly as if he could not believe his eyes. But when he held her, an 8-week-old puppy named Winnie, he knew she was real. As he left with Winnie that night, Mason thanked Santa for the best gift ever.
Heather Rutkowski said she and her husband had no qualms about Santa giving their son the dog. “He’s 8,” she said. “How much longer will he believe?”
Santa also was happy to be a part of the wish. Although he’s asked all the time, Clarke has never been able to give a child a puppy. His stock answer is that puppies would jump out of the sleigh.
Mom says Mason and Winnie are now best friends. “He slept on the floor next to her crate and took her out by himself the first night,” she said. “We love seeing their bond and how Mason has taken responsibility for her.”
Mason has told his parents, “All my dreams have come true.”
Part of BayCare Health System, St. Anthony’s Hospital is located at 1200 Seventh Ave. North in St. Petersburg, Florida. For more information: StAnthonys.org.