Fred Amatucci isn’t letting something like breast cancer stop him from helping out Santa, writes Matteo Iadonisi for 6abc.
Amatucci has been a special Santa’s helper with the Upper Darby Fire Company since the early 1980s.
“I love Christmas. It’s my favorite holiday and I just love the smiles I put on kids’ faces” he said. “It takes my mind off of what I’m going through with cancer.”
Fred Amatucci was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017. He underwent six months of chemotherapy. Then, in 2021, the cancer cells returned and took over his body.
The lifelong Upper Darby fire company member is also an information assistant at the Springfield Township Police Department and fire police officer with Bon Air Fire Company.
But during the Christmas season, he’s coordinating Santa visits at local homes, events, and the Flight on Ice at Energy Transfer Veterans Memorial Rink in Newtown Square.
His wife Kathy has been his support through it all. The couple were engaged 30 years ago on Christmas Eve.
“He likes to help people. He wants everybody to feel welcome. It makes me happy to see that he can go out and fight as hard as he is fighting with the cancer,” Kathy said.
Find out more about Fred Amatucci at 6abc.
