Henry Morales had one wish. The cancer patient at UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica wanted his six-year-old daughter, London, to experience a white Christmas with him.
Too sick to leave the hospital, Morales thought his wish might not come true. But his care team had a plan.
With support from other departments, the Oncology staff arranged for a snow truck to bring a white Christmas to Santa Monica on Thursday. The company, Union Ice, crushed large ice blocks to create five tons of snow over a 15-square-foot section of a hospital garden.
London was all smiles as she played in the snow with family and staff members while her joyful father sat nearby in a Santa Claus outfit with oxygen tanks in tow. “This is one of the best days of my life,” a tearful Morales told hospital staff members. “I love you all and appreciate you doing this for my daughter – and me.”
Morales’ mother, Raquel, was equally moved by the gesture. “There are no adequate words for me to express how grateful I am that you made his dream a reality.”
Staff members also donated presents for London, including Disney on Ice and Ice at Santa Monica tickets, and arranged for a special visit by Elsa, a character based on one from the Disney movie “Frozen.”