We come to this world with different abilities, looks, and behaviors. No one is perfect. But when some people are born without any problems, they forget that some people live a difficult life due to some characteristics they are born with.
But those people did not choose to be like that. Autism is such a condition people have to suffer throughout their lives. But sadness is when some people have the privilege of living everyday lives; they forget about the ones who are not. And it is tragic to see how they treat the ones who make a considerable effort to live every day. This story is about a similar situation to a little boy with autism. His “friends” abandoned him when he wanted them most.
Glenn had the toughest day of his life.
The little boy’s name is Glenn Buratti. It was an unforgettable day for him for two reasons. He turned six years old on that day, and his mother, Ashley, had planned a fantastic birthday party for him inviting his friends from his class. Everything was ready—cake, hotdogs, and drinks for the children. Glenn waited for his friends to arrive at any moment.
Time passed slowly, and nobody showed up. Glenn was looking at the door and outside for his friends. His hopes started to break. His smile began to fade. He could not handle the pain of his friends abandoning him anymore. He cried. But he did not want his momma to be sad, and he pinched the bridge of his nose to cover his tears.
Ashley could not take it anymore.
Although Glenn tried to hide he was crying, he could not hide it from Ashley. She was his mother. She carried Glenn for nine months and loved him for six years. She knew more than anyone else that Glenn was really sensitive. He became upset when she eventually had to tell him no one was coming. Seeing your child feel disappointed when no one comes up for them is one of the worst hurts you can experience.
Ashley could not stay quiet about the injustice that happened to her child. She posted a Facebook post in the Osceola Rants Raves and Reviews List group. In the post, she said that she knew this might be silly to rant about, but her heart was breaking for her son. They invited his class (16 kids) to his 6th birthday party today. Not any kid came.
Strangers showed up to give the little boy a happy day.
People from the group spoke forward, some requesting permission to bring their children that day. For cake and games, about 15 children and 25 adults who were total strangers arrived at the residence. Little Glenn’s smile got wider as more people entered the home.
Someone from the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office also saw the post. They dispatched a chopper to take part in the celebrations. It passed above their home for twenty minutes. Glenn enjoyed every bit of that day. That day was the best in Glenn’s entire life.
More birthday wishes kept coming
After seeing Ashley’s Facebook post, more people wanted to meet and greet Glenn. A canine unit, a SWAT van, fire trucks, and police cars were sent over by the department later in the week. Local police officers and firefighters arrived at the residence with gifts as they were starting to come.
The sheriff’s office and the Osceola County Fire Rescue crews treated Glenn like a celebrity. On Facebook, Glenn’s father, John, remarked that he was sure the neighbors were taking shelter or peeping out of their windows. Such a wonderful thing for their local law officers and firefighters to do for them. A day that began as a sad birthday celebration for Glenn Buratti turned thanks entirely to his mother’s Facebook post and the kind people in the area.
