Featured photograph: Henrico Doctors' Hospital in Virginia, where Bell donated. Location photograph; Bell and the donation are not shown. Photo: Packer1028. CC0 via Wikimedia Commons.
Dave Bell is used to giving children something to smile about. The Powhatan, Virginia, resident portrays Santa Claus throughout Central Virginia. In July 2026, he gave a stranger something much more personal: one of his kidneys.
Before he could donate, Bell had to meet the medical requirements. He lost more than 40 pounds to qualify, according to Henrico Doctors' Hospital. Then he underwent surgery without knowing the person who would receive his kidney.
A familiar Santa with a different gift
Bell's holiday work takes him to hospitals, community events and family gatherings. He and Mrs. Claus also offer quieter visits for children who need a calmer setting.
That work had already taught him how much a personal gesture could matter. A child who could not manage a busy Santa event could still have a visit designed around their needs.
His decision to become a living donor grew from another practical question: could something he had help someone else?
WTVR's local reporting confirmed that Bell donated anonymously at Henrico Doctors' Hospital. The hospital also shared a photograph of him recovering in a Santa hat.
Photo: Mojo Hand. CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
Getting ready took commitment
Bell had previously explored donation but was told he needed to lose weight. Wanting to help was only the beginning. He still had to become eligible and undergo the transplant team's evaluation.
Local station 12 On Your Side dated the donation to July 29.
The recipient's identity and detailed medical outcome have not been made public in those reports. Bell's gesture can be recognized without filling in those private parts of the story.
Photo: Packer1028. CC0 via Wikimedia Commons.
An option that requires an individual decision
Bell hopes others will consider living donation. His experience also shows why that choice belongs with a qualified transplant team.
The National Kidney Foundation explains that living kidney donation is major surgery with risks, even when a donor is carefully screened. A donor's evaluation and informed consent matter as much as their willingness to help.
Bell prepared for that decision over time. The man many children know for a red suit found another way to give, months before Christmas arrived.