ST. LOUIS – Remember the ‘lonely Santa’ we told you about on Friday? Well, he’s not so lonely anymore.
In a photo that went viral, Santa was sitting by himself in a nearly empty mall in Chesterfield.
After the photo gained attention of thousands on social media, there was a huge turnout at the Chesterfield Mall over the weekend.
The first photo of Santa was taken by Todd Moore when he and his wife Alissa, were at the Chesterfield Mall on Dec. 4. ‘The carousel doesn't run, the shops are almost all gone, and in the middle sits lonely Santa waiting for children to visit,’ Alissa shared on Facebook. She said just a few years ago the mall was beautiful and bustling with the energy and magic of Christmas.
On Dec. 8, 5 On Your Side stopped by the mall and one family told us they waited about three hours to get a photo with Mr. Claus.
Alissa also shared total strangers are reaching out to her to share their experience with Santa.
‘It's amazing. Total strangers are writing me telling of their experience with him. This is one of my greatest Christmas experiences ever,’ Alissa said on Facebook.
People even started using the hashtag, #GoSeeChesterfieldSanta
