A Father's Heartfelt Wish for His Autistic Son's Birthday
On his 8th birthday, Kevin sat down with his son and asked him to make two wishes. 'The first thing he asked was to learn how to drive. We laughed because it's not the age. The next thing he wished for was to make some friends.'
When we become parents, most of our priorities change.
Our sons or daughters take the center stage in our world from the moment they arrive, and just imagining them in distress or pain is something parents can't handle.
The world is far from the perfect place we'd like to provide for our children, and often it's the most vulnerable who suffer from injustices, those who can't even express how they feel.
This is exactly what happened recently to a boy named Daniel Harrison from the United States, whose journey through childhood has been anything but easy.
In fact, according to his father Kevin, he can't remember a single moment of true happiness in the company of others. "Throughout his young life, he always preferred his own company over that of others. He doesn't know how to live in society, and unlike most children, his childhood wasn't defined by playing with peers. Daniel never showed any interest in spending time with friends... until recently."
So why until recently?
Because it was on his 8th birthday, when Kevin sat with his son and asked him to make two wishes he'd want to come true. 'The first thing he asked was to learn how to drive. We laughed a little because it's not the age. The next thing he wished for was to meet some friends.'
Kevin didn't waste any time.
He turned to social media and shared a plea: 'Daniel is my son, who suffers from severe autism. Today is his birthday, but he doesn't have a single friend. He told me his two wishes are to learn to drive and to meet friends. Please wish him a happy birthday and show him you care. And please share this.'
Kevin posted this on his Facebook page, and he certainly didn't expect what would happen just a few hours later: his post received 17,000 comments, including from famous actors and other celebrities.
Several celebrities decided not only to comment but also to take action by sending Daniel luxury and meaningful gifts. 'No child should be alone, even if they're not autistic,' many comments read. 'We're ready to bring our kids to you. They will be Daniel's friends.'
