Skydiving Santa, Elf on Shelf Crash-Land on Florida Beach

They slammed into tree and light pole during charity event, but both are OK
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Dec 5, 2017 10:09 AM CST

A skydiving Santa looking to make a grand entrance while taking an Elf on the Shelf to a 9-year-old girl crashed into a tree and light pole before hitting a Florida beach and breaking his leg, the AP reports. News outlets say George Krokus was dressed as Santa Claus during a Saturday skydive to deliver toys to the Tampa Bay Beach Bums Operation Santa Charity Volleyball Tournament, but as ABC Action News video shows, as he neared his Gulfport landing spot, he took a sudden turn and crashed right into a tree and light pole on the beach, then fell down among a bunch of volleyball nets.

Madison Spiers, 9, saw the crash. "I felt bad, because ... that was the first time I saw someone skydive and it didn't turn out that well," she tells Bay News 9. She also received a surprise after the crash: a letter from the "elf" named Kristoff, who usually visits her house during the holidays. "The note said he went skydiving with [Krokus], and [that] 'as we were about to land, this big tree jumped right out in front of us!'" Madison says. It's not clear how Kristoff made his way into the act, but Bay 9 News notes that Madison's stepdad was one of the event organizers. As for Krokus, who suffered a broken leg but is otherwise "in good spirits," there's a GoFundMe that's been set up to help him pay for his medical bills. The page has already raised more than $1,500 toward a $12,500 goal.

(More Santa Claus stories.)

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