Police surprise bullied 9-year-old after none of his classmates show up to his birthday party

Michigan police officer Austin Lynema helps to give 9-year-old Thomas Daniel the "best birthday ever!" (Photo: Facebook/Grand Rapids Police Department)
Michigan police officer Austin Lynema helps to give 9-year-old Thomas Daniel the "best birthday ever!" (Photo: Facebook/Grand Rapids Police Department)

A police department in Michigan is praising one of its officers who helped a 9-year-old celebrate his birthday after the boy expressed concern that nobody would show up to his party.

The Grand Rapids Police Department took to its Facebook page to give a shoutout to the birthday boy, Thomas Daniel, who was spotted by local Officer Austin Lynema chasing his school bus one morning. According to the post, the officer stopped to chat with the boy and found out that his mother didn’t have a car to give him a ride to school. Daniel then joined Lynema in his patrol car for a ride, during which the officer found out that it was actually Daniel’s birthday.

“Thomas invited him to his birthday party after school but also confided that he gets bullied at school so he was afraid no one from his class would show up,” the post continued. “Ofc. Lynema did make it to the party that evening, but unfortunately Thomas' fears came true.”

The police department shared that Lynema and Daniels’ siblings were the only people who showed up to the party, and that there was no cake. However, the officer quickly devised a plan to make up for it.

Lynema wasn’t immediately available to reply to Yahoo Lifestyle’s request for comment. But the Facebook post details the birthday celebration that he threw for Daniel the following day, which included some of Lynema’s fellow officers, a donut-cake from Krispy Kreme, presents and a singing quartet.

“This is the best birthday ever!” Daniel told officers.

Now, the Grand Rapids Police Department is making sure that it don’t miss another one.

“No kid should get bullied, and no kid should worry if anyone will come to the party,” the post reads. “Next year Thomas Daniel, make sure you drop us that invite a little sooner. We wouldn't want to miss it!”

Over 1,000 others have also taken to the Facebook post’s comment section to wish Daniel a very happy birthday, and provide a little extra praise for the kind officers.

“What a wonderful thing to do for this boy,” one person wrote. “A little love goes a long ways and we should all remember this.”

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