Mum
Melissa only wanted a few people to cheer up her son Odin Camus - she had no
idea just how big the response would be
More Images After the cut
Odin Camus didn't ask
for too much for his 13th birthday.
He just wanted a few
of the 15 friends he invited to come to his party at a bowling alley.
But when not a single
one of them replied, he was feeling understandably down in the dumps.
But what happened
over the next 48 hours made it the most memorable birthday he will ever have.
Odin's mum Melissa
was worried, especially as he struggles to make friends due to his Asperger syndrome.
She took to Facebook and asked some local mums
in Ontario, Canada, to text Odin 'happy birthday' to the new mobile phone she
had bought him.
She wrote: "hello ladies, a quick favour
to ask.
"Some of you have seen my post about my
son, Odin.
"His struggles with bullying, his
difficulties with Aspergers. Well, today is his 13th birthday.
"And, unfortunately, not one kid rsvp'd to
his birthday 'hang out' invite.
"I'm really struggling with finding a way
to make today awesome for him, when it will just be us celebrating.
"A way to make him feel important. I have
a balloon avalanche set up for when he wakes up, decorated the house a bit, and
will take him for his favourite dinner (WhistleStop for poutine).
"Some gifts, and cheesecake.
"My question is - can some of you perhaps
text his schmancy new cell phone, and wish him happy birthday?
"I want his thirteenth birthday to feel
special, and like people care about him.
"And, if any of you have suggestions about
making his day awesome (so perhaps having his bday with just us isnt so lame).
I'd love to hear the suggestion!!"
Word quickly spread, and Odin ended up
receiving at least 5,000 text messages.
And a short time later, his story was going
viral on Twitter with the hastag #OdinBirthday trending worldwide.
Twitter in Canada estimated more than 11,000
birthday greetings for Odin were posted by Friday night.
Best wishes poured in from celebs including Elijah
Wood, basketball team the Toronto Raptors and even the Prime Minister of
Canada's wife.
Dozens of people stepped in to make Odin's
birthday a special night.
He arrived at the bowling alley on Friday in a
stretch limousine with reporters and photographers waiting.
Inside were hundreds of local children with
their parents, firefighters, police and childcare workers.
And everyone wanted a photo with the man of the
hour.
"It's amazing how people care. I feel
absolutely amazing," he told the canoe.ca
His mum Melissa was overwhelmed by the reaction
to Odin's story.
"People are here because everyone knows a
kid who struggles to fit in," she said.
"It's not new. It sucks for the kid. But
everyone can relate."
Happy Birthday Odin!
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