Thomas Burchard would have done anything for a friend in need.
The grey-bearded child psychiatrist was known for his kindness.
So much so, his grandson even called him Santa Claus.
Thomas, 71, had been a psychiatrist at the Community Hospital of The Monterey Peninsula for over 40 years.
And when the time came to retire to his suburban home in Salinas, California, with long-term partner Judy, Thomas instead started working four times a week just so his patients wouldn’t have to find a new doctor.
Thomas loved his job – he’d even perform magic to put the children at ease at the start of their sessions.
He could turn a dollar bill into $100, letting the kids keep it if they could say who was on the
