An American couple who made a big difference in the lives of hundreds of orphans in St. John's in the 1950s has been reunited with two of the orphans they helped.

Emily and Earl Chilton in the early 1950's. (Courtesy Earl and Emily Chilton)

Earl and Emily Chilton live in Bowling Green, Virginia. But in the early 1950s the Chiltons lived in St. John's, where Earl Chilton was beginning his career with the American air force at Fort Pepperell, the U.S. military base in St. John's.

In 1953, the Chiltons lost their son, a baby boy who never made it home from the hospital. After their son's death, the Chiltons began visiting children in local orphanages.

That was when Earl Chilton came up with a plan to bring Santa Claus, complete with gifts, to more than 600 children living in five orphanages in St. John's.

Christmas surprise started with concert

When a group of orphans came to Fort Pepperell base and performed, Chilton took up a collection in the audience, and raised $5,400 — a lot of money in 1953.

The American military sent Chilton on a shopping expedition to New York City —10 days before Christmas in 1953 to buy 650 gifts.

"And on Christmas Eve night we went with five Santas to five orphanages and got all those little kids out of bed and we called their names and they came up and got their presents," said Chilton.

In both 1953 and 1954, the Chiltons made sure Santa Claus visited the children in the orphanages.

"It was something unbelievable it really was," said Chilton. "It had to touch your heart."

"Seeing the surprise and the happiness and everything on those little faces," added Emily Chilton, "It was just great."

A ray of light at Mount Cashel

From the outside, Mount Cashel looked like a well-run Catholic organization for boys, but on the inside, it was rife with stories of corruption and abuse, both physical and sexual.

Doug Fowler and Jimmy Joe Eason say the Christmases of 1953 and 1954 were the best of their lives. (CBC )

At the time the Chiltons had no idea how much Christmas gifts meant to the Mount Cashel children, such as Doug Fowler and Jimmy Joe Eason.

Fowler, who was 12 in 1953, had already had a hard life, and he said he was not expecting a gift from Santa Claus.

"The list was read," recalled Fowler. ""James Eason, come up, ho, ho, ho, come up, come up. Jimmy Eason come up.' Jim looked at me, and I looked at Jim, and Jim very tentatively went up got his package, came down holding it tight, got into his chair and a little while passed," recalled Fowler.

"And then a little while later, 'Doug Fowler, come up, ho ho ho, Merry Christmas.' Jim's saying, 'Go on, go on, go!' I can see it. And I went up, I got a package, and I was thrilled."

Christmas orphanage memories cherished

Eason said despite Mount Cashel's infamy, he has cherished his Christmas memories at the orphanage.

"Mount Cashel wasn't a good place, you know, that came out later with all the abuse and stuff, but those couple of Christmases were the best," said Eason. "They were the best I ever had actually, I think probably to this day, because we had nothing, came from nowhere."

"I'm not religious anymore but I'd just say if there was a miracle in my life it was those two Christmases that Earl had."

Internet search started for orphans

Those Christmases at Mount Cashel were just fond memories for the Chiltons, Fowler, and Eason, until the Chiltons' family friend, Donna Bailey heard about the couple's long-ago good deed.

Bailey started an internet search for anyone who might have remembered the St. John's orphanage Christmases of 1953 and 1954.

Once Bailey's call went out online, emails, cards and phone calls started pouring in to the Chiltons.

Chilton said the response was overwhelming.

"We just kept getting stuff for a year and it's really made quite a great impact on our lives," he said.

Last summer, the Chilton's adult daughters visited St. John's and met with some of the orphans.

Meeting arranged

That meeting led to Eason and Fowler's November visit to Bowling Green to meet the Chiltons.

Earl Chilton and Doug Fowler are reunited for the first time since 1954. (CBC )

"Now how excited would children be if they were going somewhere to meet their Santa Claus?" said Fowler in November.

"I am going to meet my Santa Claus and I'm excited as can be."

Eason, Fowler and the Chiltons said the men's visit was warm and emotional. The men joined in for family meals with the extended Chilton clan. Both the men and the Chiltons said they now consider themselves to be family .

"I just got a great feeling anytime I see them, I really do," said Chilton.

Fowler echoed Chilton's sentiments.

"Oh I made it, I made it. I met the man," said Fowler. "He's the man, you know, so I'm very happy."

"The circle is now closed. We've met."