This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/13/nyregion/happy-birthday-billboard.html
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Here’s What Happens When 2 Sons Buy a Billboard Asking for Birthday Wishes for Their Dad | Here’s What Happens When 2 Sons Buy a Billboard Asking for Birthday Wishes for Their Dad |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| [What you need to know to start the day: Get New York Today in your inbox.] | [What you need to know to start the day: Get New York Today in your inbox.] |
| It’s one thing to get an out-of-the-blue birthday call from a friend. It’s another to get 20,000 from strangers around the world. | It’s one thing to get an out-of-the-blue birthday call from a friend. It’s another to get 20,000 from strangers around the world. |
| Chris Ferry, a 61-year-old insurance agent from Linwood, N.J., found himself fielding calls from as far away as Germany, the Philippines and Africa after his two sons surprised him with a now-viral birthday prank: his face and phone number plastered on a billboard over the Black Horse Pike highway stretching toward Atlantic City. | Chris Ferry, a 61-year-old insurance agent from Linwood, N.J., found himself fielding calls from as far away as Germany, the Philippines and Africa after his two sons surprised him with a now-viral birthday prank: his face and phone number plastered on a billboard over the Black Horse Pike highway stretching toward Atlantic City. |
| “WISH MY DAD HAPPY BIRTHDAY,” the sign blared, just above his cellphone number. “Love, Your Sons.” | “WISH MY DAD HAPPY BIRTHDAY,” the sign blared, just above his cellphone number. “Love, Your Sons.” |
| Mr. Ferry’s sons — Michael, 28, and Christopher, 30 — moved to Florida from New Jersey more than five years ago after struggles with substance abuse. The two now run a drug abuse clinic in Boca Raton. | Mr. Ferry’s sons — Michael, 28, and Christopher, 30 — moved to Florida from New Jersey more than five years ago after struggles with substance abuse. The two now run a drug abuse clinic in Boca Raton. |
| The men grew up in Ventnor City, about 15 minutes outside Atlantic City, and had been playing birthday pranks on their father ever since they were young boys traveling to hockey tournaments. Both recalled getting into silly-string-type trouble at the hotels, and always telling waiters and waitresses at restaurants that it was their father’s birthday. | The men grew up in Ventnor City, about 15 minutes outside Atlantic City, and had been playing birthday pranks on their father ever since they were young boys traveling to hockey tournaments. Both recalled getting into silly-string-type trouble at the hotels, and always telling waiters and waitresses at restaurants that it was their father’s birthday. |
| “Hundreds of times,” Christopher Ferry said. “And never on his birthday.” | “Hundreds of times,” Christopher Ferry said. “And never on his birthday.” |
| This week’s gift was just a continuation of that loving jest, but it took on far more momentum than they ever anticipated. | |
| “The ultimate prank,” Christopher Ferry said. | “The ultimate prank,” Christopher Ferry said. |
| The idea grew out of a conversation about what to get their father for his 62nd birthday, which is Saturday. The older son said inspiration struck as he was on the phone with the billboard company Interstate to order advertising for his Florida drug treatment center. | |
| “He’s going to kill us,” his younger brother recalled thinking. | “He’s going to kill us,” his younger brother recalled thinking. |
| The sons had expected some friends, relatives and a few locals from their small New Jersey town to call Mr. Ferry, and maybe crack a few jokes. | The sons had expected some friends, relatives and a few locals from their small New Jersey town to call Mr. Ferry, and maybe crack a few jokes. |
| But on Wednesday last week, when the billboard was installed, Christopher Ferry posted a selfie that his father had taken with the billboard and shared it on Facebook. Before long, the post had over 200 shares. The rest is high-jinks history. | But on Wednesday last week, when the billboard was installed, Christopher Ferry posted a selfie that his father had taken with the billboard and shared it on Facebook. Before long, the post had over 200 shares. The rest is high-jinks history. |
| Their father has gotten an estimated 20,000 telephone calls and thousands of texts. | |
| “He’s actually handled it really well, but last night he was a bit overwhelmed,” Michael Ferry said. “He deleted about 3,000 texts, which took him about an hour and a half to do, and then got about 2,500 within 15 minutes when more news stories aired across the country.” | “He’s actually handled it really well, but last night he was a bit overwhelmed,” Michael Ferry said. “He deleted about 3,000 texts, which took him about an hour and a half to do, and then got about 2,500 within 15 minutes when more news stories aired across the country.” |
| Despite the nuisance factor, the sons said they were happy to see their father get so much attention. | Despite the nuisance factor, the sons said they were happy to see their father get so much attention. |
| “You know, we’ve tortured him for years,” Michael Ferry said. “He’s our dad, and he had to see us through our drug addictions and it really took a toll on him. So, we wanted to do something really nice for him, while also taking a little jab.” | “You know, we’ve tortured him for years,” Michael Ferry said. “He’s our dad, and he had to see us through our drug addictions and it really took a toll on him. So, we wanted to do something really nice for him, while also taking a little jab.” |
| Unless their father threatens to disown them, the men said the $2,000 billboard would remain on that stretch of New Jersey highway until April 6. | Unless their father threatens to disown them, the men said the $2,000 billboard would remain on that stretch of New Jersey highway until April 6. |
| On Wednesday, Mr. Ferry was no longer answering calls to the number plastered on the billboard. He was busy, according to his wife and sons, at the AT&T store ordering a new phone line. | On Wednesday, Mr. Ferry was no longer answering calls to the number plastered on the billboard. He was busy, according to his wife and sons, at the AT&T store ordering a new phone line. |