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| Colin is Eleven: Facebook boy with 'no friends to celebrate his birthday' gets 900,000 | Colin is Eleven: Facebook boy with 'no friends to celebrate his birthday' gets 900,000 |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A young boy who told his mother he had no-one to celebrate his birthday with now has over 880,000 Facebook friends ready to wish him a happy birthday. | A young boy who told his mother he had no-one to celebrate his birthday with now has over 880,000 Facebook friends ready to wish him a happy birthday. |
| Eleven-year-old Colin has a sensory processing disorder similar to Asperger's syndrome, which affects his social skills and has made it difficult for him to maintain friendships at school. | |
| His mother Jennifer, from southwest Michigan, became determined to make her son's birthday special after he told her he had no friends to invite to a party on the day. | His mother Jennifer, from southwest Michigan, became determined to make her son's birthday special after he told her he had no friends to invite to a party on the day. |
| She reacted by setting up the Facebook page 'Colin is Eleven' on 2 February, which has already garnered almost 900,000 likes in less than two weeks. On the page, she invites people to send good wishes to her son for his birthday on 9 March. | |
| This Facebook page was set up by 11-year-old Colin's mother after he said he had no friends to celebrate his birthday with Her campaign has seen the page inundated by messages from well-wishers across the globe, kindergarten classes in Mexico creating cards for Colin and many sharing their own stories of growing up. | This Facebook page was set up by 11-year-old Colin's mother after he said he had no friends to celebrate his birthday with Her campaign has seen the page inundated by messages from well-wishers across the globe, kindergarten classes in Mexico creating cards for Colin and many sharing their own stories of growing up. |
| Jennifer has set up a PO box specifically for receiving cards and messages for her son's birthday. | Jennifer has set up a PO box specifically for receiving cards and messages for her son's birthday. |
| In her first Facebook first post, she explained: "I am Colin's mom, I created this page for my amazing, wonderful, challenging son who is about to turn 11 on March 9th. Because of Colin's disabilities, social skills are not easy for him, and he often acts out in school, and the other kids don't like him. | In her first Facebook first post, she explained: "I am Colin's mom, I created this page for my amazing, wonderful, challenging son who is about to turn 11 on March 9th. Because of Colin's disabilities, social skills are not easy for him, and he often acts out in school, and the other kids don't like him. |
| "So when I asked him if he wanted a party for his birthday, he said there wasn't a point because he has no friends. | "So when I asked him if he wanted a party for his birthday, he said there wasn't a point because he has no friends. |
| Jennifer collecting the first delivery of cards from the PO box dedicated to Colin's birthday She said her son eats his lunch alone in the school office every day because no one will let him sit with them, and "rather than force someone to be unhappy with his presence, he sits alone in the office." | Jennifer collecting the first delivery of cards from the PO box dedicated to Colin's birthday She said her son eats his lunch alone in the school office every day because no one will let him sit with them, and "rather than force someone to be unhappy with his presence, he sits alone in the office." |
| "So I thought, if I could create a page where people could send him positive thoughts and encouraging words, that would be better than any birthday party. Please join me in making my very original son feel special on his day." | "So I thought, if I could create a page where people could send him positive thoughts and encouraging words, that would be better than any birthday party. Please join me in making my very original son feel special on his day." |
| Colin is still unaware of the huge social media campaign surrounding him, despite school children informing him they had seen him on TV. Jennifer has asked for people who may know her son to take extra care not to reveal the surprise. | Colin is still unaware of the huge social media campaign surrounding him, despite school children informing him they had seen him on TV. Jennifer has asked for people who may know her son to take extra care not to reveal the surprise. |
| "Several kids at school told him they saw him on the news, and he overheard a teacher saying to another teacher that she saw him on Facebook", she wrote. "Colin's dad and I were able to explain it away, but please be careful if you know Colin in real life. Thank you!" | "Several kids at school told him they saw him on the news, and he overheard a teacher saying to another teacher that she saw him on Facebook", she wrote. "Colin's dad and I were able to explain it away, but please be careful if you know Colin in real life. Thank you!" |
| Jennifer has promised to film Colin's reaction on his birthday. | Jennifer has promised to film Colin's reaction on his birthday. |