PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Santa Clause left the North Pole a little early this year to surprise little boys and girls at Hasbro Children’s Hospital and Rhode Island Hospital Wednesday afternoon.

Santa ditched his old fashioned sleigh with reindeer, and instead hopped in a helicopter.

“All the children are bouncing around upstairs on the inpatient floors,” Hasbro Children’s Hospital Child Life Specialist Mallory Kropman said.

Santa circled around the hospitals’ campus, waving at the kids.

“It’s a lot of fun to see the kids, to see the joy, to see them waving at Santa Claus,” HeliService USA CEO Michael Tosi said.

Kids watched Old Saint Nick being hoisted down from the helicopter and landing on the helipad.

“They actually got to see him fly,” Tosi said.

Santa arrived with nearly 100 e

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