Santa Claus with Down syndrome inducted into International Hall of Fame in the US
In the United States, 37-year-old community theater actor Bradley Carlisle from an Atlanta suburb was honorarily inducted into the International Santa Claus Hall of Fame. According to The Guardian, Carlisle, who was recently recognized as the first professional Santa Claus with Down syndrome in the US, was honored after completing training at the Northern Lights Santa Academy.
The path to the role of Santa
The actor's mother, Debbie Cheddricks, said Carlisle first played Santa Claus at a 2023 Christmas event held by the Down Syndrome Association of Atlanta. The organization's executive director said the children invited to the celebration needed a Santa with Down syndrome who looked like them.
According to Cheddricks, her son was afraid of Santa Claus as a child because he associated Santa's white gloves with the gloves of medical workers who cared for him during a difficult medical experience. He later agreed to put on the red suit and white beard and spoke with more than 200 children connected to the association. After that, Carlisle decided to continue being their Santa.
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Training and honorary recognition
Carlisle was invited to a four-day course at the Northern Lights Santa Academy. Its director, Rick Rosenthal, called the institution the second-largest school for Christmas-role performers in the US. Participants are taught to perform as Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus and Christmas elves. In particular, Santas learn how to select a costume, care for a beard and answer difficult questions from children experiencing the loss of loved ones or serious illness.
At a ceremony on August 23, Phil Wenz, a representative of the Santa Claus Oath Foundation, announced Carlisle's honorary induction into the hall of fame and presented him with a badge. Rosenthal said Carlisle deserved the recognition because of his special sensitivity toward people with Down syndrome. According to Wenz, other members of the Santa Claus community covered the cost of a custom-tailored suit for Carlisle.
Wenz also said that photos of Carlisle are to be displayed in Times Square in New York as part of the US Down Syndrome Awareness Month, which begins on October 1, the actor's birthday. In a comment to WXIA, Carlisle said he likes being Santa because he wants to help children.
