Even three years on from a trip to Disneyland Paris, Josh Lindley will still tell you about the time he met Santa Claus
His eyes will light up as he describes how they sat and chatted for a long time, then the moment Father Christmas waved at him as he drove past in his sleigh.
The occasion still thrills him now, even in his darkest days of living with a range of disabilities.
Josh, 16, talks of the 2018 trip, organised by children’s charity Make-A-Wish UK with utter joy.
He said: “I enjoyed meeting Santa the most and it made me feel very happy then after he waved to me in the parade.
“I like to tell everyone. It makes me happy to talk about it.”
Josh, from Wakefield, West Yorks, says this by writing slowly on his iPad. His words are then spoken by a talker device. Josh’s disabilities and learning difficulties include severe epilepsy and a neurological condition that is undiagnosed which impacts his muscles. It means he can communicate very little verbally and must be fed through a tube into his stomach.
His mobility is also impacted, and he relies on wheelchairs, walking frames and sticks.
A team at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London are trying to find an official diagnosis and explanation for his condition.
Mum Joanne Kendall contacted Make-A-Wish UK, which is being supported by this year’s Mirror Christmas Appeal, at a time when Josh’s health was particularly bad.
Because his wishes were meeting Santa and flying on a plane, the charity arranged for the trip to Disneyland Paris for him and his younger siblings Charles, Nicole and Danielle. Joanne said: “He loves Christmas and Santa, the magic of it, the lights.
“It was an amazing trip, we still feel the ripples of it. It’s still such a talking point for him, he talks about it to new friends and shows photos, it’s a way of engaging.
“His eyes when he met Santa… And when Santa waved to Josh, wow. He was overwhelmed. At a time when he was struggling it really gave him confidence.”
Josh has since thrived, achieving GCSEs and his bronze Duke of Edinburgh award.
He is now at college learning vocational and life skills.
Josh is involved in STARboard, Make-A-Wish UK’s youth advisory group. He attends remotely using iRobot and his talker device. Josh said: “I like to help more children have a wish.”
Joanne added: “In the pandemic he spent a year and a half in his room because he is vulnerable. Joining STARboard, he could meet other young people. He’s even chaired two meetings.”
