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FB story brings out the best in Texarkana

At first it was heartbreaking. Sunday evening a local mom, Sandra Phillips, posted on Facebook that her child, Levi, who is autistic, invited eight classmates to his birthday party. Not one showed up.

Along with the post was a photo of her son, sitting alone in a corner at his party. She wasn’t posting for sympathy, she said, but to make other parents aware of how badly a child that may be seen as “different” feels when something like that happens.

Yes, at first it was heartbreaking. Then something wonderful happened.

There were scores of comments—more than 400 in all. Many from other local parents offering to bring their children if the party were rescheduled. Still others from parents of autistic or disabled children who had experienced something similar and knew and understood the pain.

Some said they would drop off birthday presents. Many sent happy birthday wishes. And there were offers of the use of facilities or catering for another birthday party for the young man. That’s when heartbreaking became heartwarming. That’s when social media—which so often focuses on the negative—helped bring people together. This is probably something that never crossed the minds of many readers. If not, feel blessed. Because it is obviously a painful reality for some right here in the Twin Cities. That’s something you might want to think about the next time your child is invited to a birthday party by a classmate.

And if you’d like to wish Levi a happy birthday, there’s a party for him at 6 tonight at the AG Learning Center at the Four States Fairgrounds. We are sure he would love for you to stop by. We have an idea a whole lot of folks will be.