Mother heartbroken over 22 no-shows at son's 6th birthday party
After the disastrous year that 2020 was, kids should be allowed to enjoy themselves a little, right? That is what a Canadian mother thought when she was planning her son's sixth birthday party —complete with games, toys, gifts, cake, and everything good. The party was set to be a blast. Only, nobody showed up.
The mother was left heartbroken after 22 children who were invited to her son's sixth birthday party didn't turn up for the outdoor event. She posted a video from her TikTok user handle @dawners86 that showed her son JJ playing alone in the park after no one came for the birthday bash.
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Dawn added that COVID restrictions where they live had been lifted in her area, so that was not an excuse for the guests to not attend the party. Given the widespread concerns about overcrowding and social distancing, Dawn added that they had decided to host the event outdoors in a park, to make people feel more comfortable.
In the video that Dawn uploaded to TikTok, she narrates how the day of the event was going. "So we're sitting at the park for JJ's birthday party, we got everything ready, his party started half an hour ago," she said. The video has been watched more than two million times, and as per reports, garnered more than 543,000 likes and more than 20,000 comments.
No show
"He had literally zero people show up for his birthday. My poor little man," she said in the video. In the clip, while her son JJ plays in the park all by himself, Dawn can be seen sitting next to a table filled with cupcakes, drinks, and decorations.
"Out of 22 invites... no one came... I know it's a pandemic, but it is a park, and we have reopened in my province," the mother continued. "Sorry the video is shaky, I am so upset for this poor guy. He deserves better. He's amazing."
Netizens respond
The story is indeed a sad one. Many viewers commented on the video, sending birthday wishes, offering him gifts, sharing words of support, love, and even similar experiences.
"PLEASE tell me you told him you accidentally got the day wrong," one wrote. Sharing their own story, one user wrote, "This happened with my son's eighth birthday party. I'm so sorry. I lied and told him that I must not have put stamps on the invitations."
A third user wrote, "'This is why we ALWAYS show. No matter what. My girl is there with a gift and a smile." Several people also offered to send JJ cards and many asked what kinds of activities he liked doing so they could choose gifts accordingly.
"My mamma heart just broke. I have questions, what is he into right now? Where can I send him gifts? I am dead serious," one wrote. But the family didn't want gifts. If anything, one can tell JJ handled it really well as he made requests for donations instead. In a follow-up video that Dawn shared, she said that her son had "asked very politely" if her followers would send any spare toys or donations to their nearest children's hospital.
"All the comments and offers to buy JJ presents, they are greatly appreciated," she said. "But JJ doesn't need any toys [so] he has asked very politely if you guys would send any extra gifts to the children's hospital closest to you."
"He has toys. He just wanted to spend time with friends. So thank you all for the offers, but please we don't need the gifts." Dawn later explained that she "made a whole bunch of phone calls" to family and friends to ask if they could make it to the party at short notice so that JJ can still have a celebration.
In the end, two sets of parents reportedly arrived to save the day. Apparently one even brought along a homemade cuddly toy to the occasion. "No school friends but the back-ups showed up. They understood the assignment," she shared.