Fargo Firefighters Visit Children Spending Christmas in the Hospital

The firefighters visited children at both Essentia and Sanford to deliver presents

FARGO– Fargo Firefighters spent their Christmas morning like any other morning, giving back to the community.

The firefighters visited children at both Essentia and Sanford hospitals to deliver presents and offer a little bit of holiday cheer.

“It’s an interruption to what’s going on currently in their life and it’s a welcome interruption,” Fargo Firefighter Union president Eric Eisenlohr said. “Even if you break their day up for an hour or two, it’s something different and they do smile.”

This was the 29th year Fargo Firefighters delivered presents to children stuck in the hospital on Christmas Day.

The tradition all started in 1990, when the son of a Fargo Firefighter was hospital-bound on Christmas.

“Kids in the hospital, sometimes they’re not feeling so good, so a Santa Claus, a firefighter, a policeman, anybody, that can come by and put a smile on their face makes it worth it,” Fargo Fire Department captain Jesse Schmidt said.

Throughout his career, Jesse has spent nearly five Christmas mornings bringing smiles to children’s faces at the hospital.

“Really, we don’t do it to get thanks or anything like that,” Schmidt said. “We just, you know, do what we can to give back and hopefully it makes a difference in that kid’s life for that day and gives a family just a little bit of a lift.”

Five-year-old, Emmanuel, is spending this Christmas at Sanford.

His day is becoming a little bit brighter all thanks to firefighters like Jesse.

Between Sanford and Essentia, the Firefighters brightened the days of nearly 50 children this Christmas.

The gifts were funded through the firefighter’s charity account.