Santa comforts boy who's afraid his autism put him on the naughty list



GRANDVILLE, Mich. – A magical moment was caught on camera when Santa Claus empathized with a child with autism worried his disability would put him on the "naughty list." What the man in red did next is warming hearts across the country.

Naomi Johnson posted the story and picture to the Facebook page of RiverTown Crossings in Grandville, thanking them for everything they did to make this a special Christmas for her 6-year-old son, Landon Johnson. The picture was taken just a few days ago but really started making the rounds online in the past 24 hours. It shows Santa comforting Landon after talking about his disability. Santa even shared a special message with Landon: "It’s okay to be yourself."

After posting the photo to Facebook, Johnson received an outpouring of love and support.

“There’s actually that magic still there,” Johnson told WXMI. “That’s what everyone wants this year is that magic.”

Since it was posted Sunday, the photo of Santa and Landon has received nearly 100,000 likes and over 30,000 shares.