DENVER — Colorado Christmas icon Santa Bill Lee remains in the hospital recovering from COVID-19, and his family says letters are helping his spirit during the difficult time.
Santa Bill is normally out greeting children this time of year — something he’s done for the past 35 years.
This holiday season, he has spent more than a month battling COVID-19.
He was admitted into the ICU on Nov. 15 and has been hospitalized ever since. He’s currently still on a ventilator with a tracheostomy.
His family says he is doing better, but he has a long road ahead.
“Now we're just scared that COVID is going to take his livelihood, take his house, take his ranch,” said Brack Lee, Santa Bill’s son.
Even though he might not be able to greet kids this holiday season, they can still send their love to him. Santa Bill is accepting Christmas letters at his post box in Idaho Springs, PO Box 1810, Idaho Springs, 80452.
Lee says the letters from children have helped him pull through during this difficult time.
“He would smile, he would giggle and then the very next second, he would be crying,” Lee said. “He wants nothing more than to be out there and bring joy to all those kids.”
While Santa Bill is improving, his son says he likely will remain hospitalized for another month and he’ll need physical therapy to recover.
“He's got a fighting spirit,” Lee said. “He wants to be out there.
His family has started a GoFundMe to help with his recovery.