A chance encounter led one man to God and his role as Santa
Frank McDonough was standing in the hallway of a church when a fellow parishioner dropped a box in his arms.
“I’m too old for this,” the man said. “Take it – you got it.”
McDonough stood there puzzled and became even more confused once he opened it. A shiny, red Santa suit was wrapped up inside. He admitted he was a far cry from an upstanding citizen and did not fit the mold of the holly jolly elf.
“For the longest time, I wasn’t the nicest person,” said McDonough. “When I started getting right and going to church and doing the right thing, God led me on the right path.”
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That nudge from God came with a healthy dose of holiday cheer. McDonough put on that suit and for the last 15 years, McDonough has brightened the lives of countless children through by playing the role of Santa Claus.
The resounding chant of "Ho, ho, ho" comes from the depths of his belly, making the legendary figure come to life. The owner of McDonough Machine LLC in Rincon by day, every holiday season, McDonough embodies the role of Saint Nick and brings tidings of comfort and joy to the children who wait the entire year to give him their wish lists.
Oddly enough, McDonough said most kids ask for the same thing. Girls want a handful of Barbie dolls and boys want dirt bikes, a request that usually goes unfilled due to a lack of space in the sleigh.
“But I tell them, if you behave, maybe we can work something out,” said McDonough.
'He's a natural'
Dan McCall, membership manager for the Coastal Heritage Society, raved about McDonough's ability to get into character. McDonough has played Santa for many years during CHS's annual and much-beloved Savannah Santa Train.
“Frank is a funny guy,” said McCall. “He’s amazing with children. He truly loves children and people. He’s a rock star. He’s genuine. It’s not over the top. It’s not forced. He is a natural at it.”
In a world where technology and the future of artificial intelligence looms large, McDonough brings a human touch, which is critical for youngsters who still believe in Kris Kringle.
“Everything is robotic and kids are getting more and more detached because of electronics,” said McCall. “He is a real person who will talk with the kids and have real conversation.”
But nothing moves McDonough's heart more than walking the halls of hospitals to visit sick patients, something he could not do during the COVID pandemic. “We deliver cookies, fruit and a teddy bear just to let them know we are thinking about them,” McDonough said.
But not all of his appearances are filled with holly and jolly. He recalled an instance where he was invited to a bar and instead of getting a lengthy Christmas list from the children, one gave him a swift kick to the shin. “They tried to pay me in food – it was one of those things where people like to celebrate for the holidays but their kids don’t understand the holiday spirit because their kids are in a bar with them.”
McDonough married his own Mrs. Claus six years ago, and the pair have two children and five grandchildren between them. He typically has a half dozen or so appearances during the holiday season and admitted it is hard to turn down an invite.
“There is so much going on in the world,” said McDonough. “It truly is great to be a blessing to others. If it wasn’t for God, I wouldn’t have any of this. I believe he wants me to do what I’m doing.”
After a hard days work, McDonough fuels up with take out from his favorite Chinese joint. When asked when he planned to retire his big black boots, he said, “That’s not going to happen.”
Latrice Williams is a general assignment reporter covering Bryan and Effingham County. She can be reached at lwilliams6@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Rincon businessman can't wait to play Santa every year
