Since 2004, businessman and real-life Santa Claus Michael Fux has provided holiday gifts for over 300 underprivileged patients and families (every year!) of Nicklaus Children’s Hospital (formerly Miami Children’s Hospital) through his Michael Fux Foundation at his annual holiday celebration. Each year, social workers at the hospital identify the neediest children and come November, their gift list is sent to Mr. Fux. He takes care of the rest.
Gifts are wrapped the week before and delivered to the hospital in the early morning hours the day of the party. There’s also food and game stations set up as well as face painting, balloons, comic book and Disney characters and special guests like former NBA All-Star Alonzo Mourning, Indianapolis 500 winner Tony Kanaan, Gloria Gaynor and Danielle Bradbery, winner of “The Voice”. This video I produced back in 2013 documents some of the behind-the-scenes efforts that go into Fux’s annual party…
[vimeo width=”890″ height=”500″]https://vimeo.com/85583857[/vimeo]
Michael Fux, who came to the United States from Cuba as a teenager with his family is the proverbial rags-to-riches story. He lived with his parents and brother in a one-bedroom apartment in a seven-story walkup in Newark, New Jersey. Since then, Fux has gone from selling used tires and recharged car batteries to a multi-millionaire in the foam bedding industry. He’s also become a self-proclaimed “car freak” with a collection of 129 vehicles, including 25 Ferraris, 12 Porches, 11 Aston Martins and six Rolls-Royces. “I was very fortunate in life”, says Fux. “But I never forgot where I came from.”
This year, I started out the day shooting a short PSA with Gloria Gaynor for Miami Children’s Hospital Foundation and then I grabbed my camera and shot a few pictures at the event. It was my sixth straight year at his event and after seeing all the smiles from the kids as they receive their presents (and the tears in the eyes of some of the parents as their kids receive their presents), there aren’t many better ways to spend a Saturday in December in sunny South Florida.
“Giving a check is easy”, says Fux. “This is something I love doing.”
Enjoy the pics…
Michael Fux and I at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital…
Gloria Gaynor and Miami model and fashion designer Maripily Rivera were on hand to help give out some of the presents…
TV host and CNN en Español entertainment reporter Erick Cuesta also helped give out presents to the kids…
Former NBA All-Star Alonzo Mourning looks on as a young boy rides off on his new bicycle…
Besides presents, Fux’s annual party also includes activities for the children and families as well as hamburgers, pizza and even a giant paella dish…
Everybody loves Santa – even Burnie, the Miami Heat’s official mascot…
The Miami Heat Dancers were also in attendance…
A mother with tears in her eyes thanks Michael Fux…
Before leaving, I caught Michael Fux (on right) taking a breather in his custom purple Rolls Royce.
For more information or to support the Michael Fux Foundation, please contact Valerie Hupchick at vhupchick (@) migholdings (dot) com.
