SAN ANTONIO – It's so many children’s dream around Christmas to head to the North Pole and visit Santa's workshop, and thanks to the American Cancer Society and United Airlines, that dream came true for about 80 local children.
Kids of all ages filled the airport hangar early Saturday morning, all waiting for their ticket to the "North Pole."
The plane was filled with children and their families for about a half-hour and then returned to the hanger, or as the kids saw it, the North Pole.
Elijah, a 3-year-old who has cancer, is one of the dozens of children who saw the decorated airport hangar.
"With stage four neuroblastoma, there is only a 30 percent chance of survival five years overall, and he has been in treatment for 18 months now," said Lori Krawczyk, Elijah's mother.
Whether it was sitting with Santa, decorating gifts for their loved ones or decorating gingerbread cookies, it was special for the kids because they don't know if there will be a next year.
"I just take it one day at a time just because the next day is never guaranteed for anybody, so we treasure every day," Krawczyk said.
As for Elijah and his family, they are working to get the 3-year-old healthy and hope to be back next Christmas.