In 1993 Tom Hurst was a mail carrier in Halifax, Nova Scotia. That Christmas he volunteered to write replies from Santa to kids who had mailed letters to the North Pole. This one came from "Candy W." and deeply affected Hurst. He's kept it all these years.
Candy wrote: "Well anyway there are a few things I hope you can grant they are to see if you can send my my dad or if you can't do that then I would like a grape excape game or some thing like that." She also asked Santa to "make my family stop fighting."
Candy ended her letter by saying, "thank you santa clause I believe in you and I hope mrs clause is fine OK by four nao."
Hurst told BuzzFeed Canada they tried to locate Candy back in 1993, but there was no return address on the label.
If he'd been able to reply, he said he would have "tried to assure her that Santa was listening, cared deeply for her well-being and told her that although the fighting was happening, she should not ever doubt the love of both parents."
Hurst stores the letter inside a copy of the Bible, and rereads it every Christmas. "I doubt I knew at that time how it would affect me over the years," he said. This year he shared it on Facebook and hoped Candy "has found peace and her Grape Escape."
Then, last night, Hurst received a text message. It was Candy. "She has turned out to be a healthy, happy soul with a great sense of humour and a wonderful outlook for the future," Hurst said. He's happy to know life turned out well for Candy W.
Hurst shared news of his conversation with Candy on Facebook, and people are touched by how it all turned out.
