The Real Thing 'Santa', Oak Forest Man Leaves Behind Legacy Of Magic

OAK FOREST, IL — His obituary is simple, just a few lines. Few details, no deep description or much fuss made, understated and straightforward. But longtime Oak Forest resident Michael Hickey was larger than the life he left behind when he died August 15. Just ask anyone who knew the man many called the most "real" Santa Claus you'd ever seen.

With nearly 40 years of playing the Big Guy under his thick, black, leather belt, Hickey was known for his sweet and patient nature, large stature — and absolutely perfect "ho-ho-ho!" His friends say his death at the age of 65 leaves a hole in the fabric of Christmas, one that will be felt by so many who hired him to bring the holiday magic into their homes and celebrations. His friends can't put a number to how many appearances he made as Santa, but Hickey went all-in and all-out for the gig, and he was unforgettable for it.

Friend Frank Polansky hired Hickey to appear at a family party several years ago, and watched as the magic kicked in. Hickey told stories, leaned in to listen to children's whispered wishes, read "The Night Before Christmas," and sang songs with Polansky's grandchildren. But it wasn't the children's enthrallment with Hickey that caught Polansky's eye.

"I watched my (adult) son when Santa and Mrs. Claus were here," Polansky said. "His eyes were sparkling like he was a little kid."

Hickey first pulled on the red suit when he was in high school. He dabbled in that, along with his DJ business, Mr. Mikestro Disc Jockey Service. It was during his time as a DJ that Hickey popped into Beverly Records on a regular basis, where he met now-longtime friend Randy Dreznes in 1995. Dreznes, who owned the store, quickly caught on to and embraced Hickey's personality.

"Very vibrant," Dreznes said. "He always had a smile. Very generous, would do anything for anyone."

Dreznes ended up introducing Hickey to the woman who would become his wife: family friend and record store employee Nijole. Nijole had emigrated from Lithuania, and became close with the Dreznes family during her employment at the record store. Hickey helped Nijole become acclimated to a lifestyle very different from the one she had experienced in Lithuania.

"Mike had the patience to teach her America lifestyles," Dreznes said.

In turn, she became his missus—Hickey and Claus. In the early 2000s, Hickey dedicated more effort and time into his Santa operations, accumulating clientele across Chicagoland.

"He was a real Santa, he wasn’t fake, he was REAL," Nijole told Patch. "Sometimes when people play Santa, it’s fake. ... That laugh, that, ho-ho-ho, it was real.

"He would be Santa for the same families for years and years, until the kids outgrew all that Christmas stuff, until they didn’t believe in Santa anymore."

When Covid hit and shut down opportunities for in-person meetings, Hickey took to his website to offer Zoom sessions with Santa. He offered recorded messages and videos, personalized with children's names and specific gifts mentioned. He transformed his background into a virtual Santa's workshop and snapshots of the North Pole, combining the energy and enthusiasm he had for the role with his innate creativity. His warm nature and openness made him magnetic as the magical being.

"He had that talent," Nijole said. "That’s what he likes to do, he likes to make people happy, make kids happy. They’d come tell him secrets, make him happy."

Hickey fell ill in February 2022, and spent 130 days in different hospitals, trying to overcome his ailing health, Dreznes said. As recently as July, he had still been receiving phone calls requesting his services as Santa. In his final days as he felt his health dwindling, he asked that his wife keep his phone number up and running after his passing; she's not sure why, but Polansky suspects it's so people can still hear Mrs. Claus answer the phone, and know her counterpart hadn't just abandoned his gig.

"I never knew a kinder man," Polansky told Patch. "I don’t know what was bigger, his heart or his stature. He didn’t have to pad himself to play Santa. ... A very big man, a gentle giant."

Polansky, who's 75, said he wasn't anticipating having to say goodbye to his friend so soon.

“I've lost four friends this year. At my age, they all seem to be going. Michael’s 10 years younger than me, I’m mad at him, he wasn’t supposed to go first.”

Services for Hickey were last week. He'll be missed this Christmas, especially, and many won't get to witness the magic Mike brought to the role.

"He took his time," Dreznes said. "He never rushed out of there. Just very believable. Just a really, really good Santa Claus."

Polansky agreed.

"To my children, Michael is Santa Claus."

Friends and family of Hickey have started a GoFundMe to help offset some of the medical bills that accumulated during Hickey's hospital stays.