Being stuck in the hospital is generally a pain, but for six-year-old Wyatt Brasseur, Christmas came early.

The youngster was reportedly vibrating with excitement even before SantaB次元官网网址檚 ride landed outside the window of his pediatric unit room at Victoria General Hospital.

SantaB次元官网网址檚 landing was a little different than usual, thanks to the now 20-year-old tradition of taking a Helijet tour ahead of Christmas itself.

Wyatt was the first of several kids of varying ages and wellness at the hospital in View Royal to get an early visit as Santa hitched a ride in a BCEHS air ambulance for a whirlwind, same-day tour to visit children in pediatric units at six hospitals in the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island.

B次元官网网址淲hen we talk with Santa up north, heB次元官网网址檚 usually in a position where heB次元官网网址檚 saying his reindeer are a little tired so we offer him 1,500 horses,B次元官网网址� said Danny Sitnam, president and CEO of Helijet, which operates Sikorsky air ambulance helicopters used by BCEHS.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 just a wonderful treat for the children, the parents, all the people who are involved in supporting the program. ItB次元官网网址檚 just always an eye-opener when we come by to visit the six hospitals on this very special day.B次元官网网址�

ItB次元官网网址檚 a long day that starts at 7 a.m. with a tight schedule to hit hospitals in Greater Victoria, Nanaimo, Vancouver, Abbotsford, Surrey and New Westminster in one day.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 worth every minute of it, the welcoming is just pretty humbling,B次元官网网址� Sitnam said.

Neither kids nor flights were nothing new for the specially trained longtime paramedic along for the ride this year. What was particularly nice for David Nemec, a paramedic for 38 years and member of the infant transport team since 1999, were the smiles.

B次元官网网址淭his is very special, in the fact that I get to come and see the children and families and children in hospital who may not be home for Christmas,B次元官网网址� Nemec said, just ahead of departing VGH for Nanaimo hospital. B次元官网网址淧art of our daily job is looking after the babies and children in the province so seeing them in here and giving a little bit of smiles and joy to them means everything.B次元官网网址�

HeB次元官网网址檚 also the interim unit chief of Station 283 B次元官网网址� the Infant Transport Team station based at BC ChildrenB次元官网网址檚 Hospital B次元官网网址� whose paramedics care for, and transport, babies and young children with acute or emergency health needs.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 actually overwhelming to see the joy we bring, to be part of something thatB次元官网网址檚 so good for the families. ItB次元官网网址檚 an emotional high,B次元官网网址� Nemec said. B次元官网网址淭oday is all about the children and families that canB次元官网网址檛 be home for Christmas so weB次元官网网址檙e all here as one team making everything better for them.B次元官网网址�