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| Autistic boy receives 20,000 birthday cards after mother's public appeal | Autistic boy receives 20,000 birthday cards after mother's public appeal |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| An autistic boy has received tens of thousands of birthday cards from strangers all over the world, after his mother made a public appeal. | An autistic boy has received tens of thousands of birthday cards from strangers all over the world, after his mother made a public appeal. |
| Karen Jones, 49, from Exmouth, posted a request for help on Facebook after her son Ollie told her he loved opening cards and had made his own to open on his 15th birthday. | Karen Jones, 49, from Exmouth, posted a request for help on Facebook after her son Ollie told her he loved opening cards and had made his own to open on his 15th birthday. |
| Writing on a community page, she said: “He’s just told me he love opening cards to [the] extent he’s made himself a couple.” | Writing on a community page, she said: “He’s just told me he love opening cards to [the] extent he’s made himself a couple.” |
| “We are a small family and he has no friends so gets very few.” | “We are a small family and he has no friends so gets very few.” |
| By Ollie’s birthday on Saturday, his mother said he had received some 20,000 cards, messages and presents from people all over the world who had seen her plea. | By Ollie’s birthday on Saturday, his mother said he had received some 20,000 cards, messages and presents from people all over the world who had seen her plea. |
| For comparison, the Queen is estimated to have received 17,000 cards for her 90th birthday this year. | |
| Speaking to the Independent, she said she took Ollie to a family friend's house for his birthday. | Speaking to the Independent, she said she took Ollie to a family friend's house for his birthday. |
| "He sat in a hot tub with his new selfie-stick and said: 'mum, I'm famous'". | "He sat in a hot tub with his new selfie-stick and said: 'mum, I'm famous'". |
| Ms Jones, who is a voluntary support worker for parents of autism, spoke of how positively her family had been affected by the widespread act of kindness. | |
| Having autism means her son struggles with processing, she added, which affects his verbal and academic communication. | |
| "I'd love to thank everyone and remind people that there are 'Ollies' everywhere," she said. | "I'd love to thank everyone and remind people that there are 'Ollies' everywhere," she said. |
| "Some people might think it's just a card - but to us it's massive. Sending cards can bring so much joy". | "Some people might think it's just a card - but to us it's massive. Sending cards can bring so much joy". |
| Boxes of post began arriving to the Jones's on Thursday, and boxes are said to still be incoming from strangers as far as Cyprus, Crete and Australia. | Boxes of post began arriving to the Jones's on Thursday, and boxes are said to still be incoming from strangers as far as Cyprus, Crete and Australia. |
| Speaking to the Plymouth Herald, Ollie said: “No one gives me birthday cards, just me. | Speaking to the Plymouth Herald, Ollie said: “No one gives me birthday cards, just me. |
| “It's fab, amazing and fun - but not so many next year please.” | “It's fab, amazing and fun - but not so many next year please.” |
| Ms Jones said: ”My son made two birthday cards. | Ms Jones said: ”My son made two birthday cards. |
| “He has no friends because of his autism and when I saw he had made the cards it pulled my heart strings. | “He has no friends because of his autism and when I saw he had made the cards it pulled my heart strings. |
| “I thought maybe we could just try to get him a few extra cards this year.” | “I thought maybe we could just try to get him a few extra cards this year.” |
| When droves of cards and messages began to arrive, she said it brought “tears to the eyes". | When droves of cards and messages began to arrive, she said it brought “tears to the eyes". |
| “It was a lump in the throat moment,” she said. ”All I can say is thank you, the kindness, love and goodwill of everyone has been phenomenal.” | “It was a lump in the throat moment,” she said. ”All I can say is thank you, the kindness, love and goodwill of everyone has been phenomenal.” |
| The Facebook message has been shared more than 25,000 times and attracted thousands of comments from well-wishers using the hashtag #cards4ollie. | |
| One well-wisher from Saudi Arabia sent the teenager an X-Box, and another has offered the family a weekend away. | |
| Jane Harris, Director of External Affairs at the National Autistic Society, said: “This story shows how small acts of kindness can make a huge difference to the lives of autistic people and their families. | |
| ”Over one in one hundred people are autistic in the UK, and many find it hard to communicate with and form relationships with other people. But no-one should fall for the myth that autistic people are loners or prefer to spend time on their own; many want to have friends but struggle to do so because of difficulties understanding the social world. | |
| “If anyone is unsure how best to communicate with someone on the autistic spectrum, the simple answer is to ask them or someone who knows them well, whether a family member, friend or professional.“ |