Darien’s long-time Santa Claus could use some early Christmas magic, and the community is coming through. Over $13,000 has been raised to help Joe Warren, 78, who spent the summer in the hospital and a rehab facility.

Warren has been the town’s beloved St. Nick, for 44 years.

“Kids in Darien believe longer than most people,” said Abby Shiner, Warren’s daughter. "He really embodies it all year round. You can go on vacation, and he will be Santa even in the summer months. Kids will see him in the grocery store and kind of look at him funny, and he'll just put a finger to his lips and go, 'Shh,’ and they’ll be like, ‘Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!’”

It helps that the long white beard is real and has been for decades after Warren went prematurely white before the age of 40, according to Shiner.

Warren is a former Noroton firefighter and served on the board of selectman and school board. But his career in the red suit began as an accident in his early 30s after an office Christmas party needed a last-minute Kris Kringle. He was so good the owners of Darien Sport Shop asked him to be their annual Santa, and from there, the requests only grew.

“He will tell you he has more fun than the kids do. I think that my dad has always had a sense of joy and innocence about him, and he loves to bring about that sense of joy and innocence with the children of this town,” Shiner said, getting emotional.

Despite Warren’s young spirit, he’s had heart problems since having a heart attack in the 1980s, according to Shiner.

“His heart issues have also evolved now into kidney issues,” Shiner said. “He did have a heart attack in July and had to have a procedure.”

Warren was hospitalized in June and only returned one week ago.

“He's not the spry Joe Warren a lot of people are used to. He’s had to slow down considerably and that is very hard for him,” Shiner explained. “My mom has been in a wheelchair since 2020. She's on permanent oxygen. You know, dad has been her caretaker for the last four years, and I think that that has taken a toll on him and his health.”

Warren’s recovery isn’t over and the costs, along with his wife’s medical bills, have added up.

“My parents did not plan for this time of their life and all these health issues. That is not anyone else's problem. That is our problem,” Shiner stated. “But when I posted the update about his health issues, and about the fact he was going to have to tone down his Santa work a little bit, so many people reached out and were like, ‘How can we help? What can we do?’”

Shiner's friends suggested starting a fundraising effort, which Shiner was hesitant to do. But she said the results have been nothing short of a gift.

“To say that we are speechless with the amount of kindness and caring and compassion—it’s just beyond anything we could have possibly imagined,” said Shiner, tearing up. “I don't even know how to begin to thank the people of this town. This town really is a magical, magical place.”

Shiner said her dad will be back as Santa this holiday season, and is looking forward to it, but due to his health, will only be doing 20 events in December. Last year, he was part of over 50.