This story was originally published by the Ledger-Enquirer.
‘Twas 11 nights before Christmas, and all through the church, parents were stirring because a child left them in a lurch.
At this holiday party, something was amiss for the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Columbus.
Eight-year-old Grayson caused such a fright when attendees realized he was nowhere in sight.
Half a dozen adults looked inside and outside the church, but to no avail was their frantic search.
They went through nearby apartment complexes and woods, and two residents said they saw Grayson in the neighborhoods.
But those folks didn’t stop him or help him, making his Mama mighty grim.
Then, when this searched reached nearly half an hour, Grayson was found by a higher power.
A man in a red suit and white trim delivered the luck, arriving not by sleigh but by pickup truck.
Credit: Mike Haskey
Credit: Mike Haskey
That man is 68-year-old Stephen Coggins. He has been playing Santa Claus for about 50 years, but he never had a gig like this one.
How this Santa Claus found a lost boy
The association hired Coggins as the Santa Claus for its Dec. 14 holiday party. He had left the church before the end of the event, so he initially wasn’t aware of the crisis.
But as he drove along the church driveway toward River Road that night, he saw Grayson running away. Coggins tried to stop him, but the boy kept running.
When he saw Grayson near the edge of the woods, Coggins again tried to stop him, but Grayson again ran away.
Coggins called the association member who hired him to report what he saw.
Figuring that Grayson would emerge from the other side of the apartment complexes and the woods, Coggins got back in his truck and reached the clearing in time to see Grayson walking up a hill toward River Road.
By then, they were about half a mile away from the church.
Coggins saw Grayson’s mother, Carrie Defenbaugh, also coming up the hill. He whistled to her and hollered, “I have him!”
“That’s when it got happy,” Coggins told the Ledger-Enquirer. “But it scared me to death when I lost him because I could imagine something happening to him after I had him right there at my side. Praise God that I found him, because there’s no telling how it would have been if he got to River Road where the traffic is at night.”
‘Very overwhelmed’
Defenbaugh gushed a mix of emotions.
“I was very overwhelmed,” she said. “You go from being terrified because it’s a very helpless, awful feeling not knowing where your child is, especially when you know that your child is nonverbal and doesn’t really understand what it is that he just did... to just happiness, despair, like everything all together.”
Defenbaugh’s husband, Michael, told Coggins, “Just thank you, from the bottom of my heart. You were critical to getting him back into our arms.”
When children ask their parents why there are so many jolly guys in red suits with white trim saying they are Santa Claus despite there being only one real Santa Claus, the typical answer is that they are Santa’s helpers. Well, this Santa Claus certainly lived up to his name. In fact, he was more than a helper.
“Definitely a hero,” Defenbaugh said.
Credit: Mike Haskey
Credit: Mike Haskey
But while praising Coggins for his heroic deed, Defenbaugh also emphasized her frustration about encountering two residents in neighboring apartment complexes saying they saw a boy matching Grayson’s description — but they didn’t stop him or call the police for help.
“This is such a common occurrence,” she said. “People don’t really know about it until you hear the tragic stories. Our search could have been ended at least 10 minutes sooner had that first person just grabbed him and stayed with him.”
And you don’t have to be dressed like Santa Claus to do Santa-like things, this Santa insists.
Despite being on his way home after 10 hours of playing Santa at three events that day, Coggins still felt compelled to stop his truck and help this boy.
Coggins said he didn’t recognize Grayson or know for certain that he was one of the children at the party, but he stopped to help him because “No kid that young should be out at night by himself.”
So this Santa has a Christmas wish for Columbus and all communities: “People need to be more involved and observant of their surroundings.”
How to help a special-needs child who might be lost
Defenbaugh, president of the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Columbus, provided the following guidance about how to help a special-needs child who might be lost:
Immediate actions
- Try to find the one of the child’s parents or caregivers.
- If you can’t quickly find one of them, inform security personnel or call the police with details about the child’s appearance and location.
Communication and safety
- Check whether the child is distressed, injured or has communication difficulties.
- Use a gentle voice, avoid sudden movements, and introduce yourself as someone who wants to help.
- Look for identification. Check for bracelets, necklaces or tags with contact information or medical details.
Interaction
- Ask basic questions. Use simple language and visual cues to understand whether the child can communicate their name, location or whether they are looking for someone or something.
- Provide comfort. Offer water or a snack and use pleasant distractions or activities to keep the child calm.
Important considerations
- Be aware of triggers. Recognize that special-needs children might be sensitive to loud noises, crowds or unfamiliar people.
- If the child uses alternative communication methods, such as picture cards or sign language, try to understand and use them.
- Don’t leave the child alone. Even if you need to step away, ensure someone else is watching the child.
- Be patient and understanding. Gathering information may take time, so avoid rushing the child.
Credit: Ledger-Enquirer
Credit: Ledger-Enquirer
MEET OUR PARTNER
Today’s story comes from our partner the Ledger-Enquirer in Columbus. The Ledger-Enquirer provides daily coverage of community news, events, and sports in Columbus and the Chattahoochee Valley at ledger-enquirer.com.
If you have any feedback or questions about our partnerships, you can contact Senior Manager of Partnerships Nicole Williams via email at nicole.williams@ajc.com.
About the Author
