Good News300 people show up to 10-year-old’s birthday thanks to Reddit
A Virginia boy’s dreams were made reality with the help of the internet.
Soon-to-be 10-year-old Camden Eubank wanted nothing more than a massive water balloon fight for his tenth birthday, but was lacking the friends to do so.
As a solution, his mom posted an open invitation to Facebook in the hopes that strangers could help make his dream come true.
“I know all kids should learn disappointment in life, but sometimes other kids are cruel,” Camden’s mom Traci Eubank wrote on the Facebook group.
“Camden is turning 10 on July 6th and wants to have an ultimate water balloon fight party with 2,000 balloons and lots of kids.”
She wrote that he has a speech delay, known as Apraxia, and some issues with articulation, making it hard for him to make friends.
“To fulfill his 10th birthday wish of having a huge water balloon fight, I am extending an open invitation to anyone with kids that wants to come throw some water balloons with one awesome little boy.”
The invitation gained traction on popular social networking site Reddit, where thousands of people from around the world wished their best with the family.
And when the water balloon fight happened, hundreds decided to take their support to the next step.
About 300 people showed up with water balloons, cake, and gifts, ready to make one little boy’s dreams come true, reports WDNJ7.
Von Lester, who drove more than four hours from Newport News to attend, told WDNJ7 that he “saw this on Reddit and just thought it would be a good time to come out and show Camden just because he does have that speech delay, it doesn’t mean that people aren’t going to like him.”
After the post hit the front page of Reddit – a site that gets billions of page views a month – people began asking how to send gifts and cards to Camden.
The Eubank family received more than 200 gifts in a two-day period from all around the world.
“Presents came from Brazil, Germany, China, Canada…” Camden’s dad, Wayne Eubank said. “There’s names on there I couldn’t even tell you where they are.”
Camden, whose mom wrote he wanted to be “a country music singer,” also got tickets to see Blake Shelton, a handwritten letter from Virginia Senator Tim Kaine and a video message from Virginia Senator Mark Warner.
The Troutville Fire Department came through to blast water over the crowd from its fire engine in the spirit of the event and strangers brought thousands of water balloons for the party.
“He is happy; the happiest I’ve seen him in a long time because he has people to play with,” Camden’s mom said.
“It makes any pains you’ve got go away,” said his dad. “It’s a medicine in these sense; that feeling.”
