This teen has never had a birthday party. So his dad is throwing one, and inviting kids like him

A father in Dartmouth, N.S., will be hosting an inclusive surprise birthday party for his teenage son next month, and has extended an open invitation to other children on the autism spectrum.

Rob Bird said his son, Evan, has never had a birthday party before — and has never been invited to one — because he has autism and struggles to understand facial expressions and social cues.

This makes it difficult for him to make friends, Bird said.

"With all the bullying that he went through in elementary school, I think [Evan]'s kind of decided that maybe he's just not fit for having friends or something," Bird told CBC Radio's Maritime Noon on Monday. 

"He's kind of given up on the idea."

So this year, Bird decided to organize a surprise 14th birthday party for Evan that would also be open to other children in the Halifax Regional Municipality, aged 10-14, who are on the autism spectrum, have a disability or are LGBTQ+ — or any child that has never been invited to a party before.

Bird made a post in the Ask Nova Scotia Facebook group, looking for parents who would be interested in bringing their children to Evan's party.

The response was overwhelming, Bird said, and now more than 30 kids are planning to come.

"I did not expect it to blow up the way that it did because it's literally just, I'm just a parent trying to find some kids [who are] going to come to my kid's birthday party and I didn't think it would have such a response," he said.

Bird said even people who don't have kids, some as far away as Ontario, have also offered to send Evan a birthday card.

"I didn't keep track of how many people want to send him a birthday card, but it's been so many that I'm starting to feel a bit bad for the mail carrier," he said with a laugh.

Birthday party next month

Bird said the party will be held on July 8, at an outdoor location. 

He said there will be cake "because every birthday party must have a cake," but there won't be any balloons in case they pop and upset some children.

There will also be pizza, which the owner of Jessy's Pizza in Spryfield offered to donate.

Bird said the goal of the party is to give Evan the chance to make some friends, something he also struggled with as a child.

"I think being invited and getting to go to a birthday party of another kid is something that every kid should be able to experience," he said.

"And with a lot of the parents and a lot of the people who contacted me as well, they have a similar experience to mine. They also grew up as the kid who never got to have that experience and then they just want better for their children, you know?"

Bird said he's hopeful people will see the importance of inclusivity through this birthday party for Evan.

"Maybe they'll have more of an open idea about inclusiveness and letting the weird kid or the shy kid or really focusing on the bullied kids and trying to help them be part of things and encouraging that," he said.

"Because I know it's a little bit of extra care, but that little bit of extra care, if you're willing to put into it, it goes a really long way for kids, especially kids like this."