Dad's birthday request for son with autism goes viral
McKINNEY, TX – Loneliness is an unspoken symptom of autism.
Hunter Kleis is high-functioning, but he is non-verbal.
"He might not speak. He might not have social skills, but he likes to have fun. He likes to have people around," said Hunter's father, Chad Kleis. "He likes to enjoy things like anybody else."
Still, the 8-year-old does not get invited to sleepovers. There are no birthday parties to go to, either, and classmates have never really come to his birthdays.
"We do things with him," Kleis said, becoming emotional, "and make sure he understands that he's my best friend."
This year, the 39-year-old dad decided to do something different.
Hunter turns nine later this month, so Chad asked his 400 friends on Facebook if any of them would consider sending his son a card, since Hunter has always been a great reader.
Within days, came dozens of cards, packages, and boxes. They're all shoved in a shower right now, since Hunter doesn't yet know about them.
Watch the video above to see the hundreds of cards and packages waiting for Hunter.
That Facebook post got shared more than 9,000 times.
Postmarks prove it, with notes coming from the Netherlands, Honolulu, and as far away as Ireland.
"The great thing about Hunter and kids on the spectrum -- he will never forget this," Chad said.
Neither will this father, who just wants his oldest son to be included, despite his disorder.
"The life ahead of him is what scares me," Chad admitted as his eyes welled up. "I don't care if he never talks. I wish he did, but I just want to make sure he's happy."
And he knows that people care.
To send Hunter a birthday card, address it to:
Hunter Kleis / P.O. Box 6506 / McKinney, TX / 75071
Click here to read another story about amazing fathers who went above and beyond for someone they love.
Here at the Paste BN network, not only do we want to provide you with the current events of the day, but also a little dose of inspiration while you're getting your news fix. Inspiration Nation is our way of providing you with that jolt of good news to bring a smile to your day.