Alaska Airlines Captain Plays Santa To Children In Adak, Alaska

1/2/2008 9:51 a.m.

Alaska Airlines Captain Rex Gray didn't aspire to be Santa Claus. It just happened. Fifteen years ago, Gray was piloting a Christmas Eve flight to Nome and decided to have some fun. He rented a Santa suit, brought his family along and handed out candy canes to anyone who happened to be at the tiny Nome terminal that late Christmas night. Gray did the same thing in Kotzebue.

His kind generosity caught on.

Gray has since donned the Santa suit in other communities — most recently Adak, a native town of less than 200 people on the far reaches of the Aleutian Islands. He's been "Santa Rex" to the 30 or so children in Adak since Alaska Airlines launched service there in 2003 and flew there again last night.

"Adak's pretty small and isolated," Gray says. "I don't think they'd otherwise see a Santa in town."

With the help of Flight Attendants Patty Edmond-Carufel and Stephanie Moseley, Gray provides a wrapped gift for each child. While the employees have bought the gifts in the past, Edmond-Carufel worked with Aleut Corp. this year to help with the presents.

It's been a labor of love for Gray and a gift of goodness for the town of Adak. But perhaps even more, the annual tradition has been an example of the true meaning of the season for his Anchorage-based co-workers.

"Those of us who work in the state of Alaska know what is meant by the term ‘Alaska Spirit.' It's Rex Gray," says Line Maintenance Administrative Assistant Rhonda Pearce, one of Santa's elves on the Adak flight.

Gray, a 22-year veteran of Alaska Airlines, also volunteers to serve as Santa for the Anchorage employees children's holiday party, distributing gifts and sharing "ho, ho, hos" with hundreds of children over the years. It's a task he takes seriously, even showing up early to help set up, wrapping presents and ensuring there are enough for everyone.

Pearce recalls one year when Gray "saved Christmas" for Anchorage employees. "It had been a tough year, spirits were down and we wondered whether we should even have a party," she says. Pearce asked Gray what he thought and his e-mail response said it all:

"What, no Christmas? I'd say charge ahead! No matter what happens in this weird airline industry or at Alaska Airlines, there should always be a Christmas." Gray signed it "Santa."

So Christmas went on — and has ever since. When Gray was delayed by weather in Chicago one year and couldn't make it back for the party, fellow Anchorage-based pilot Jeff Latta stepped in as Santa. And when the flight to Adak was canceled last year, Gray couldn't let the kids down. He flew the flight a week later, complete with gifts, food and his trademark suit.

"We were a little late, but it happened to be Russian Orthodox Christmas so it worked out fine," Gray says.

Gray is modest about his annual rite, talking about having fun and bringing a smile to folks. He gives most of the credit to his co-workers who help him.

"It doesn't matter if it's been a bad day or you're in a bad mood," he says. "When you see Santa, it's all better."