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Sarah Biren
Sarah Biren
September 9, 2022 ·  4 min read

Georgia family requesting birthday cards for 8-year-old with autism after no shows

Austin is an eight-year-old boy with autism who’s had a bad streak of birthdays. He’s had several parties in the past where no one showed up. This year, his family plans a different kind of celebration.  ”My nephew turns nine on September 14th. Last year, he didn’t have anyone show up to his birthday party,” said Austin’s aunt, Bri Sosebee. This year they plan to shower him with birthday cards and well-wishes from strangers all over Georgia. 

Birthday cards to show you care

The family is looking forward to doing something special for the upcoming birthday. “He is a playful, sometimes moody kid and he has a big heart,” said Austin’s mom, Amber Sosebee. They know he would love to receive birthdays cards filled with happy wishes from people who care enough to send them.

Image Credit: CNN Newsource | CBS46

Unfortunately, he struggled through difficult experiences over the years. His no-show birthday parties were especially challenging. “He is a little discouraged that people don’t think of him. He is autistic and doesn’t understand,” said Bri. ”People tend to bully him at school, no one wants to show up to any of his events. Every kid deserves to be loved and he deserves to have friends show up.

Therefore, they ask for cards to counter the empty birthday parties from previous years. ”Maybe a few birthday cards and he would realize there are others who actually want to send him something, who actually care,” said Bri. The family adds that Austin loves Minecraft, Spider-Man, football, and sharks. If you’d like to send a heartfelt message to Austin, you can send birthday cards to: 7830 Smith Farm Road, Cumming, GA, 30028. [1]

Read: Mom Hid Recording Device in Autistic Son’s Backpack, Got Abusive Teachers Fired

No one showed up to the party

It’s devastating when a child’s birthday party consists of empty chairs and a list of no-shows. Unfortunately, it’s not an uncommon occurrence. One Australian mother ended up moving her son to a different school when no one showed up to his ninth birthday party.

Kym had started party-planning six weeks earlier. Out of 24 invitations, 18 guests RSVPed that they would come. Kym went all out. Her son didn’t want a theme, except to eat junk food with his friends, which Kym obliged with a large cake, pizza, chips, sausage rolls, pies, and candy. “I spent $200 on food, $180 on the hall, $100 on decorations, and $80 on tables and chairs… all up I spent almost $600.

However, the party time rolled around with no guests. After 45 minutes of waiting, Kym began messaging parents, asking why their kids hadn’t come. “The majority didn’t reply, but the few replies I got said that another child (who had been RSVP’d) had a party organized for the same day. So they decided to go to that party instead,” she said. “I was absolutely fuming that no one came… I cried. Some parents can be very mean.”

She moved her son to a different school a week later, and he was happy to change because “he thought he didn’t have any friends.” Even though he’s 14 years old today, he has “given up on birthday parties” and refuses to host another one. [2]

Read: Weighted Blankets can Help Put You to Sleep and May Even Help Anxiety and ADHD

Just RSVP”

A similar story had a happy ending in 2016. Nine-year-old Mahlon had started public school that year after being homeschooled, and he was excited to have a big birthday party with his friends and classmates. The day of the party came, and theme was based on Mahlon’s favorite book, Diary of a Wimpy Kid. But no one showed. His mother, Layne, wrote about the devastating experience on her blog.

Mahlon did his best to have a good time despite everything, and the party became a family celebration with bowling afterward. Layne wrote a plea to parents on her blog to RSVP. “I know that we’re all busy and it’s easy to overlook in anticipation and kind of think, ‘Oh, I’ll get to it later or kind of think that, ‘Oh, we’re busy that weekend, can’t make it.’ But there’s a child on the other side of the invitation that’s expecting people to come.”

However, the post went viral, and Layne received support for Mahlon as well as virtual birthday cards, gifts, and stories about other children’s party disasters. But the biggest surprise came in the form of a Facetime call with Jeff Kinney, the author of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and an autographed copy of his newest book, which wasn’t even released yet. 

For his next birthday, people are joking, ‘What’re you going to do for his 10th birthday? He already got to talk to Jeff Kinney!’ “Layne says, laughing. “But really all he wants is to have a friend there. That’s all it’s about for him. Having friends that he can share his day with.” [3]

Keep Reading: Dad’s Plea For Son With Autism Who ‘Hasn’t 1 Friend’ Goes Viral And Birthday Wishes Pour In

Sources

  1. “Georgia family requesting birthday cards for 8-year-old with autism after no shows.” CBS46 News. Sawyer Buccy and Miles Montgomery. September 2, 2022.
  2. “’I moved my 9yo son to a new school after no one showed up to his birthday’.” Kid Spot. Madeline Cox. February 3, 2022
  3. . “’Heartbroken’ Oregon Mom Has a Message for Parents After No One Came to Her Son’s Birthday Party.” People. Marlene Lenthang November 2, 2016