In a typical November Roger Armstrong is posing for Christmas card photos and getting ready to spend the next six weeks or so dressed in a red velvet Santa suit listening to the desires of children throughout Central Arkansas. In 2021, those plans were cut short when tests at UAMS revealed the need for coronary artery bypass surgery. He underwent triple-bypass surgery to redirect blood flow around three sections of a blocked artery and then spent several weeks in rehab before spending a quiet Christmas at home. He returned to his role as Santa the following year, welcoming thousands of children to sit on his knee and tell him what’s on their mind.
“I didn’t realize I needed a Christmas miracle, but that’s what the Cardiovascular team at UAMS gave me. I started being Santa in 1968, and I’m grateful to see the smiles on kids’ faces when they see a real live Santa again this year.” – Roger Armstrong, Little Rock
