Kevin Windham on Santa: 'That dude is real!'

With the holiday season in full swing and Christmas only a few days away, Supercross legend Kevin Windham is reminded to never question the existence of Santa Claus.

Each year around the holidays a classic tale comes to mind for the former rider and his extended family, and it remains one of his mother's favorites.

"I personally don't remember all the details myself but my mother loves telling this story over and over," Windham said. "Her telling the story is about as big a deal as the story itself. It's become a Christmas tradition in our family.

"So I was getting to the age where I was starting to doubt the existence of Santa Claus. It was also a time where we didn't have any extra money because everything we had was going into my racing.

"My family was sacrificing so much for me but I still asked for one thing that year I just absolutely had to have, being a spoiled kid of course. I wanted a Manx kitten; I just remember it was pretty much essential to my existence at that point in life. I couldn't just ask for a regular kitten, it had to be a Manx kitten. I find out later they're like really expensive."

Windham had a lofty dream that Christmas, and as a young boy caught in between racing and real life, his emotions were torn.

"Christmas morning came around and I just knew I wasn't going to get that kitten I really, really wanted," he said. "I was disappointed before the day even started. I woke up mad.

Cat man do

"Next thing I know, I opened up this box and there was this cute little Manx kitten staring back at me with these big eyes. I honestly didn't understand how it was possible. So of course my initial reaction is that it had to be Santa Claus. He got me what I really wanted to prove all my doubts wrong. All I could do was jump up and down yelling 'I believe, I believe again! I believe in Santa Claus!'

"It was a real sight for everyone that day, or so I've been told. I couldn't stop confessing my newfound belief in Santa Claus because he had just made my dreams come true with that little kitten.

"Having our own kids now the story remains pretty important because you should never doubt the existence of Santa Claus. That dude is real."

Geiger Media Global