HANOVER TWP. — Dalton Chandler sat on the couch, his poodle Lola on his lap licking his face, as piles of unwrapped presents surrounded him at his feet.

Moments earlier, the shy, quiet 13-year-old Hanover Twp. boy — given last month two-to-four weeks to live — was paid a visit Saturday afternoon by Santa Claus and about 50 firefighters from area townships.

It’s a Christmas that Dalton, who was diagnosed with Leukemia in April 2003, and his family will never forget.

The best Christmas “ever, ever, ever,” said Dalton’s mother, Melinda Chandler. “There’s nothing more amazing to see someone show such kindness to your children. It’s amazing. Never in my wildest dreams.”

It all started with a trip to the emergency room in an ambulance last Sunday after the Cincinnati Bengals — Dalton’s favorite team — won.

That’s when Hanover Twp. firefighter Larry Stone found out about Dalton’s story — his diagnosis nearly nine years ago, a bone marrow transplant from his younger sister three years ago, slipping out of remission four times and the most recent news delivered to him which included the cancer spreading to his spleen.

But that wasn’t everything. Three years ago, Melinda moved Dalton and her daughters, Elizabeth, 16, and Alivia, 11, in with her parents, Elise and Paul Houston on Morman Road. And since then, Paul has been notified that he will lose his job in February when SMART Papers closes.

So earlier this week, Stone collected about $2,500 in donations, and with the help of Ross Twp. and Colerain Twp. firefighters, as well as the Ross Twp. police department and Butler County Sheriff’s Office, and surprised the three children with an ambulance full of gifts.

Dalton’s favorite present was an iPad. Video games and clothes were among the other gifts he received. He was also given an honorary firefighter helmet and a No. 14 Bengals jersey with his last name on the back — the same number as Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton, who sends the 13-year-old text messages regularly.

“I can’t even begin to say what this all means to us,” Elise said. “It’s been a long journey, but Dalton has made this an easy journey. He’s never, ever complained about going to the hospital. He makes you feel bad to be sad, because he’s not sad.”