10-Y-O Boy Who Had No Friends to Celebrate Birthday Gets More Than 1.7 Million Fans on 'Happy Birthday Colin' Facebook Page
A 10-year-old Michigan boy who told his mother that he didn't want to have a party to celebrate his 11th birthday next month because he had no friends, now has more than 1.7 million of them on Facebook, but he doesn't know it yet.
Two Sundays ago Michigan mom, Jennifer Cunningham, created a Facebook page titled "Happy Birthday Colin" and told the heartbreaking story about why her son, Colin, who suffers from Asperger's Syndrome, didn't want a party for his birthday.
"I am Colin's mom, I created this page for my amazing, wonderful, challenging son who is about to turn 11 on March 9," began Cunningham in a note she posted on Feb. 2.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
"Because of Colin's disabilities, social skills are not easy for him, and he often acts out in school, and the other kids don't like him. So when I asked him if he wanted a party for his birthday, he said there wasn't a point, because he has no friends," she said.
"He eats lunch alone in the office every day because no one will let him sit with them, and rather than force someone to be unhappy with his presence, he sits alone in the office," she continued.
"So I thought, if I could create a page where people could send him positive thoughts and encouraging words that would be better than any birthday party. Please join me in making my very original son feel special on his day," she ended.
Since she made that appeal, the Facebook page has attracted more than 1.7 million fans and more than 150,000 comments.
People have also been sending birthday cards to a P.O. Box listed on the website for young Colin.
"The first mail from the PO box! Colin still doesn't know (I hope), so I have to hide these!" wrote a beaming Cunningham in a photo posing with several envelopes sent for Colin on Monday.
Officers from the Rosenberg Police Department in Texas, as well as several others, have posted creative video messages to the page for Colin.
He has also received thousands of other encouraging greetings sent by people such as Jamie Leibfried.
"Happy Birthday Colin. You sound like a very kind and loving child. I hope you have the best birthday ever. Remember you are special, all of God's creatures are. Your "so called no friends" will be very jealous knowing you have your own FB page. Way to go Colin and mom," she wrote.
