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Kenny Blair, known around the world as Santa Blair, passed away suddenly this weekend, his family announced.
Mr. Blair is an Oklahoma City native, former NFL player and coach at Frederick A. Douglas High School. He was 65 years old.
After Oklahoma City newspaper The Black Chronicle posted the news on its Facebook page Saturday night, condolences and fond memories poured in from area residents.
One commenter posted: “He did so much good with his time here. The world was a better place with him in it.”
Another posted: “This is truly devastating. He had such a positive impact on our community and the world.” “Santa Brea will be sorely missed.”
As “Santa Blair,” his charming and personable demeanor with both children and adults, as well as his tailored Santa fashion, have seen him travel from Oklahoma City to Austin, Texas to Washington, D.C., and on his “bucket list.” to the delight of crowds across the United States. The venue is Disney World.
Becoming “Santa Blair”
Growing up in Oklahoma City, Blair never saw an African-American Santa Claus, but the absence of Santa Claus continued to haunt him as an adult, Blair told The Oklahoman in 2022. told the paper.
When his beard naturally turned from black to white over the years, he decided to transform into the beloved Christmas icon.
“I think what bothered me initially was that there was no one to represent us. There was no one that looked like me,” Blair said. “So I said, ‘I’ll be that black Santa we never meet.’
In 2020, his granddaughter Blair Smith created a TikTok video featuring her grandfather as her alter ego. The video went viral, and his Facebook following steadily increased over the years, with many voicing praise for his expressiveness and positivity.
Despite his increased celebrity status, Blair remained humble because he felt his Santa persona had a divine purpose.
“A friend of mine said, ‘This is your service,’ and I knew that, but it was even more confirmation,” he said. “I love teaching and I love coaching. That’s my passion. But my service is to Santa Brea because I get to touch so many lives through this.”
Supporting children as “Coach Blair”
A graduate of Classen SAS High School, Blair applied the lessons he learned during his winding journey from the University of Missouri to the NFL and USFL to the athletic training of some of the world’s best athletes.
He played in his first Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1981 and then played for the St. Louis Cardinals in the NFL. He also trained Shaq, Ray Lewis, Tiger Woods, and members of the 1996 Dream Team at the Disney Institute in Florida.
Since then, he has coached at Northwest Classen, Northeast, Southeast High School and Douglas High School.
“I’ve always had a heart for children,” Blair told The Oklahoman in 2018. “I’ve had a tough life, so I wanted to do my best to make sure my kids didn’t have to worry.” It’s not just about athletics, it’s about life. ”
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