some of my little friends say there is no santa claus. please tell me the truth. is there a santa claus? >> reporter: they answered that little girl in 1897, yes, virginia, there is a santa claus. and years later, the real virginia, all grown up, still reading the answer she received to that question. this time to the next generation of children sitting right before her. >> yes, virginia, there is a santa claus. he exists as certainly as love and generosity exists. >> reporter: all of those years later, virginia was still moved by what they wrote back to her. >> alas, how dreary would be the world if there were no santa claus? it would be as dreary as if there were no virginias. >> reporter: virginia would share her story through the years. just listen to this very serious radio interview we discovered