9 years of spreading joy: New Zealander plays Santa for Saigon’s sick children

In the oncology wared, around 30 children were waiting for him. They shouted “Santa Claus” when they saw the white-bearded man and clapped their hands.

Pierre’s bag was filled with teddy bears, robots and comics for the children. With Christmas jingles playing, he and the children, cut two cakes.

A bald girl ran to hug Pierre, he held her tiny hands, rubbed her head and smiled.

The New Zealander, who lives in Binh Thanh District, says he felt as emotional as he did the first time he became “Santa Claus” for children with disabilities and cancer nine years ago.

Pierre Sinel with patients at Children’s Hospital 2, Ho Chi Minh City, in December 2023. Photo by VnExpress/ Ngoc Ngan

Pierre, a comedian working in Australia, first came to Vietnam in 2009. The friendliness of the people, delicious food and beautiful landscapes caused him to immediately fall in love with the country.

The same year he met Hoang Kim, who also lived in Binh Thanh, at a birthday party, fell in love and got married.

Two years later, after retiring, Pierre decided to move to Vietnam to settle with his wife.

He began to take part in her charity activities, handing out bread to the homeless in Districts 1, 5 and Binh Thanh. He began to notice children dressed in rags.

“I went home and thought about what I could do for the children,” he recalls.

It was Christmas 2014 and some friends suggested that he looked like Santa Claus with his white beard, big belly and signature smile.

While living in Australia, he was volunteering to read books for child patients in hospitals.

“Would the children in Saigon like a Santa Claus like me?” Pierre wondered.

One afternoon in December 2014 he went to Ba Chieu market in Binh Thanh district to buy a large bag of candies.

Pierre Sinel randomly distributes gifts to children in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, in December 2018. Photo courtesy of Pierre Sinel

Several times a week he drives around central streets in Ho Chi Minh City to give gifts to needy children he spots. The gifts include bags of candy and teddy bears wrapped in shiny cellophane bought with Pierre’s pension money.

Kim has supported her husband and helped expand his activities by arranging meetings with hearing and speech impaired children and those suffering from cancer at the Dieu Phap Social Protection Facility in Binh Thanh.

Around Christmas time Pierre pulls on a Santa Claus dress to give gifts and play and take pictures with children.

Four years ago he visited the oncology department at the Children’s Hospital 2 in District 1, and met patients who were skinny and bald because of chemotherapy.

He looked around the room and then took off his Christmas hat to reveal his smooth, bald head.

The children laughed and clapped in surprise.

“The children say that Santa Claus is real and has a bald head just like them,” Pierre says. “I want the children to be more optimistic and cherish their life.”

One year, while sitting on the hospital grounds he was approached by a boy in a wheelchair with his mother. The boy, who had a brain tumor, wanted to stroke Pierre’s beard and take a photo with him. He talked with them for a while and gave one million dong to the boy.

Later he phoned and gave gifts to the boy on three occasions.

One afternoon in 2022, Pierre received news that the boy had passed away.

“I was devastated; I realized how fragile their lives are after looking at the photos I had taken.”

He decided to extend his Christmas charity trips from November to January every year so that children have more time to meet and play with Santa Claus.

Pierre Sinel and his wife in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, in December 2023. Photo by VnExpress/ Ngoc Ngan

Le Thanh, 40, who has been doing charity activities with Pierre for 10 years, says he and his wife care deeply for children.

Pierre is retired and by no means wealthy, but he always seeks to donate things.

Pierre had a serious lung disease a year ago and he had not thought he would survive. But thanks to doctors at Cho Ray Hospital doctor, he recovered.

Kim thinks her husband’s recovery was a miracle, and the couple have continued to do charity activities as a way to repay the favor.

Kim says their 14-year marriage is based on “empathy.”

Pierre initially helped his wife distribute bread and cook rice for charity before starting to celebrate Christmas with children.

“He loves Vietnam like his second home,” Kim says about him.

Last weekend he had an appointment at a school for disabled children in HCMC. He let blind children there touch his face and beard and sang for them so that they could visualize Santa Claus. “Their smiles made me feel happy.”