ELK GROVE, CA (KCRA/CNN) – When a California mother saw her son with autism going through a rough time, she asked people on Facebook to send him birthday cards.
The response overwhelmed them both.
Megan Aguilar admits that puberty, autism and trying to fit in at school have all made for a rough year for Aidan Aguilar, her 13-year-old son.
"At school I've been bullied," Aidan said.
Megan Aguilar posted a message on Facebook asking anyone reading it to send her son a birthday card to “make him feel super special.”
What happened next was, according to Aidan, “mindblowing.”
Cards began arriving in the mail by the hundreds, some from as far away as Ireland, Italy and Australia.
Aidan ended up getting almost 1,500 cards in 10 days.
And it wasn't just birthday cards – one woman found out he's a "Star Wars" fan and made him a special shirt.
The Elk Grove Police Department also delivered a giant “happy birthday” sign to Aidan’s door.
For Aidan’s mom, the kindness of strangers has been overwhelming.
"So thankful so many people out there that's caring and loving,” Megan Aguilar said. “It just restores faith that the world is a great place.”
But maybe even more important for Megan was the way all that kindness made her son feel.
“And now this kind of cheers me up,” Aidan said. “This cheers me up.”
Copyright 2018 KCRA via CNN. All rights reserved.
