12th December 2025
Mike has dedicated his life to service, first to his country, serving 22 years in the United States Navy, then as a professional Santa Claus, bringing joy to children at schools and hospitals around the world. After retiring from the Navy, a workshop accident resulted in the amputation of his left forearm. During recovery, Mike became Santa as a way to stay active and give back to his community. It began with a few local holiday appearances, but quickly caught the attention of the media as the first bionic Santa in the world. “Believe it or not, this beard never goes away,” Mike said. “My chin hasn’t seen the light of day since 1995.”
As Santa, he needed a prosthetic arm that could help him carry a bag while passing out gifts, hold a mug and dunk cookies, or check the names (twice) on the Naughty or Nice list. “At the time, I was really disappointed in the reliability of my other prosthetics,” he said. “I needed something dependable, but my other arms kept breaking.”
Online, Mike had followed fellow amputee Tilly Lockey’s progress with her Hero Arms. “I like to keep tabs on new technology and prosthetics, and it got me thinking,” he explained. “That’s when I first reached out to Open Bionics.”
As a retired Navy veteran, Mike worked with the Department of Veteran Affairs to get approval for his Hero Arm. “The VA had never worked with Open Bionics directly before me,” Mike said, proudly. “I helped push that door open.” He was fitted with a red Hero Arm to match his Santa suit just before Christmas 2024.
A year later, Mike was scrolling on social media when he came across a video of a fellow veteran swimming in a pool while wearing a Hero RGD, our latest water-resistant bionic arm. “I saw that guy swimming and thought, ‘Hey, no more swimming in circles,’” he joked.
Impressed by the water resistance of the Hero RGD, Mike returned to our clinic in Austin, Texas, to upgrade his beloved Hero Arm to the new Hero RGD. “The arm I got last year was great for what I needed, but I wanted a little more durability,” Mike explained. “It feels a lot more durable. I’ve had other arms that were fragile or way too heavy. This one is strong and light at the same time.”
Mike was also interested in the improved speed of the grips. “I mean, the movement is just tremendously fast,” Mike said, opening and closing his Hero RGD hand in rapid succession. The new bionic hand can close its grip in less than half a second, making it the fastest multigrip bionic hand available.
“With freeze mode, once the hand is holding something, it’s locked,” he said, testing the Hero RGD’s integration with the Sidekick smartphone app, which allows him to quickly update and customize different grip modes, and put the hand into freeze mode. “I don’t have to tense my muscles the whole time to hold on. The app makes a tremendous difference.”
Mike also recognized how we listen to our users when developing new technology. “I was able to give feedback after a few weeks with my first Hero Arm, and now I see that feedback in the Hero RGD already,” he said. “That shows me that Open Bionics really listens to the people who wear their arms.”
Working in a full red suit under the southern heat used to make using prosthetics difficult, but the wireless MyoPod sensors in the Hero RGD and the ventilation of the Hero Flex socket offer improved sensitivity and airflow.
It was a bit of a full-circle moment for Mike when he learned how his efforts with the VA the previous year had indeed opened the door for other veteran amputees to gain access to advanced bionic technology, including Dave, the same veteran who Mike had seen swimming with a Hero RGD.
“Then I saw Danielle’s story and I know how much that means to veterans. It’s amazing to see where Open Bionics is taking this technology.” Iraq War hero and Purple Heart recipient Danielle Green recently shared her story as part of a collaboration between Open Bionics and the Call of Duty Endowment to help veterans find meaningful employment. Danielle’s Hero RGD has custom, futuristic covers designed to match her playable character in Call of Duty: Black Ops 7.
Mike recently returned to the Nashville Veteran Affairs Medical Center–not as a patient, but as “Bionic Santa” to bring holiday cheer to hospitalized military veterans, a way to give back to his community. He wore his Santa suit, a Vietnam service hat, and his brand-new bionic arm to greet hospital staff and veterans in their hospital beds.
In a video that was shared with us, you can hear a veteran ask from his bed, “What are you doing here?”
Mike replied, “I came by to say hi to y’all and Merry Christmas!”
“I’m glad you did,” the man said.
Looking ahead, Mike hopes his story will also inspire children around the world who live with limb differences. “I want kids to see that having a prosthetic doesn’t hold you back,” he said. “I’d love to do virtual visits so children everywhere can meet a Santa with a bionic arm who looks like them. If I can help a kid feel proud of who they are, that’s what it’s all about.”
Ready to wear a rugged, water-resistant bionic arm? Book a free consultation at your local clinic. Our certified prosthetist will review your goals, confirm insurance coverage, and guide you from the first free consultation to delivery.
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