Levittown, Pennsylvania’s cherished local figure, Scott Diethorne, widely known as Santa Scott, suffered a heartbreaking tragedy when his family home was destroyed by fire. According to Levittown Now, the incident occurred on the night of October 25, when flames engulfed the Diethorne residence while the family was away. Sadly, the family’s pets did not survive the blaze.
GoFundMe Established to Help the Diethorne Family
In response to the loss, Scott’s brother created a GoFundMe campaign to support the family’s recovery and rebuilding efforts. In a heartfelt message on the fundraiser page, he wrote:
“Offer a prayer for my brother Scott Diethorne, Santa Scott, and his family, as they have suffered a devastating house fire resulting in a total loss; fortunately, no one was home at the time except for their pets.”
He further emphasized that the fundraiser was the only legitimate campaign to assist the family, cautioning against online scams:
“Since scammers are trying to capitalize on my brother’s tragic accident by setting up phony GoFundMe accounts, I have decided to make one that’s legit. I assure you that every penny received will go to Scott and his family.”
As of the latest update, the GoFundMe page has raised over $97,000, moving steadily toward its $130,000 goal.
Details of the Fire at Santa Scott’s Home
The fire broke out around 9:45 p.m. at the Diethorne family’s Fairless Hills residence, completely destroying the property. Reports indicate that two dogs and a bird were killed in the incident. The Falls Township Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause, with early findings suggesting the blaze originated in the attic, according to Levittown Now. Tragically, the fire struck just a day after Scott celebrated his daughter’s 23rd birthday, a moment he had proudly shared on Facebook, reflecting on how she had grown out of her shyness.
Santa Scott Addresses Fans After the Tragedy
Following the incident, Scott appeared in an emotional Facebook video, confirming that his home had been completely destroyed. He expressed gratitude for the support pouring in and asked those who had booked him for Santa appearances to contact him again, explaining:
“If you got a Santa appearance with me, please inbox me or one of my kids with the addresses and the times and dates because unfortunately with the house fire my desk and the calendar with everything written on it for November was destroyed. Fortunately, I took a picture of December last night. For some stupid reason I didn’t think take the other one.”
He also revealed the loss of all his custom-made Santa costumes, stating:
“As of now, I lost everything, all of my Santa outfits and everything. I am in the process of getting all those, I just don’t know what’s in store right now. So if I end up in a cheesy Santa outfit this year, I apologize, I will make it better next year. Mine were all custom made, that’s where the hard part comes in.”
Before ending his message, Scott grew emotional as he mentioned trying to keep his ill wife’s spirits high despite their immense loss.
“All right, I just got a lot to do today, a lot on my mind, and trying to keep my wife, who is very sick, in good spirits. We lost everything.”
With tears in his eyes, Santa Scott thanked his supporters and ended the video with a heartfelt goodbye.
