How a blind, autistic boy got to ‘see’ Santa’s eyes twinkle for the very first time
Matthew Foster memorized every word of “Twas the Night Before Christmas” when his mom gave him the book last year, she says.
So when the Texas 6-year-old started thinking about going to meet Santa Claus for the first time, there were several things he was curious about. The furry clothes from head to foot, the rosy cheeks and the nose like a cherry are things he wasn’t able to conceptualize quite like his sighted friends.
But it was the story’s reference to Santa’s “eyes that twinkle” that had really piqued his curiosity.
Matthew was born blind, and was diagnosed with autism last year, his mom, Misty Wolf, told McClatchy. So introducing her son to Santa could have gone one of several ways, especially since she says, her son really isn’t into toys all that much.
“Think of it from the perspective of someone who can’t see like we can,” Wolf told McClatchy. “He wants music, wants to feel things, wants to have experiences more than anything else, because for the most part, toys are just pieces of plastic to him.
“When Santa asked him what he wanted for Christmas, he asked Santa for water.”
Despite her worry over how Matthew would react to the newness of the situation, Wolf and her husband, Shane, who live in Watauga, took her son to Cabela’s in north Fort Worth to see Santa last week.
Before placing Matthew on Santa’s lap, Wolf started to explain her son’s conditions.
“He told me, ‘Say no more,’” Wolf said. “And got on the floor next to Matthew, and took his hands.”
The photos she posted on Facebook of Santa guiding Matthew’s hands along his fluffy red coat and even across a life-sized reindeer prop in the store’s Christmas display have brought the holiday feels to tens of thousands on social media. As of Thursday afternoon her post had been shared nearly 100,000 times on Facebook.
“It wasn’t like he was overly excited — he was just intrigued by Santa,” Wolf said. “He was listening and learning — from Santa. You could see the wheels turning in his head.
“It was just really beautiful to watch his personality, so peaceful but really engaged.”
But Matthew did forget one thing, according to Saint Nick’s description in the book.
“He told me he wants to go back, because he didn’t get to feel Santa’s dimples,” Wolf said.
The story, or poem, “Twas the Night Before Christmas” was written by British poet Clement Clarke Moore and originally titled “A visit from St. Nicholas.”
This story was originally published December 13, 2018 at 1:51 PM.
