After A Tough Year, Birthday Cards Pour In For Shakopee Boy With Autism
SHAKOPEE, Minn. (WCCO) -- A Shakopee mom, hoping to do something special for her son's golden birthday, got way more than she bargained for.
Jennifer Smart said her son Lucas has severe autism, and until this year he had never had a birthday party with other kids. She reached out on Facebook asking people to send him a birthday card if they were willing.
"He's got such an amazing personality," she said. "He is speech delayed, and with autism everything is routine. When things change, it can be quite upsetting to him."
From the time Lucas was a baby, Jennifer knew her son may have autism. Doctors confirmed what she and her husband Rick already suspected when Lucas was 2, and in some ways it made them love him even more.
"Even when he was diagnosed and I was hysterical crying, Rick said 'We are going to get through this together,'" Jennifer said. "'He's still the same precious, little boy we adore.'"
But just two months later, Rick, who Jennifer said had unconditional love for Lucas, had a brain aneurysm and died unexpectedly.
"At the beginning, I just felt like I wanted to die myself," Jennifer said. "I didn't want to get out of bed. And people would tell me 'You have to get out of bed. You have to live. You have to do this for your child.'"
And even though he couldn't talk, Jennifer knew Lucas was grieving in his own way.
"About a week after Rick didn't come home, he started pushing away all foods," she said. "That was it."
Lucas will only eat a few, select foods, and Jennifer gives him Pediasure eight times a day. It costs about $1,000 a month.
But like all moms, Jennifer wants life to be special for Lucas, especially this year, as he turns 7 on October 7. She knew greeting cards are one of the things Lucas loves most, so she went on Facebook and made a simple plea.
"And I said, 'Please, if you are willing to send a birthday card, that would be fantastic,'" she said.
Little did she know, that post would spread and cards started coming in. Just a few at first, but it wasn't long before the mailman was working overtime.
"I couldn't even imagine this was actually working," Jennifer said.
She expected maybe 50 or 60 cards. Lucas now has over 800, and many traveled a long way to get to Lucas.
"From London, from Scotland, from Germany, from Hong Kong, from Australia, I can't believe it," Jennifer said.
"It's just good to see this much good in the world within people," Lucas's uncle Todd Brown said. "It's amazing."
It was a case of the cards coming after the party. Jessica and Andy Wright, neighbors across the street, threw Lucas his first-ever party with friends on Sunday. More than 50 people showed up, and most of them were kids.
"It was an amazing day. It's just incredible. It's the most incredible thing in the world to make your child happy," said Jennifer.
If you would like to send Lucas a card, you can send them to:
Jennifer Smart
3699 Whitetail Drive
Shakopee, MN 55379
or visit the family's GoFundMe page.