They say it takes a village to raise a child. Well, Spring Hill, Tennessee, is doing it right.
The town quickly sprang into action once they heard no one showed up to Taliyah Sassmannshausen’s birthday party at a local home, according to WKRN.
Over 30 friends had RSVPed to attend the little girl’s celebration, which included a water slide and cake, but by some sad coincidences, none of the invited guests turned up. An hour into the party, surrounded by just a few adult family members, Taliyah started asking where everyone was.
Determined to give her daughter the cheerful birthday bash she deserved, mom Lauren Sassmannshausen posted an open invitation to the party on the community’s “I Heart Spring Hill” Facebook page.
“Does anyone have any kids that want to come over and celebrate my daughter’s birthday with us? Not one person has shown up except a few adults and she keeps asking me where her friends are,” Laura posted on the closed group. “It is seriously breaking my heart, we have PLENTY of food and drinks. We don’t care about presents, she just wants friends.”
Word of Taliyah’s unsuitable birthday situation spread quickly. Ten minutes after Laura’s call for help, the first of a steady stream of new friends arrived. Over 75 caring Spring Hill residents ended up stopping by to celebrate Taliyah’s 5th birthday.
“NEVER in my life would I have thought we would have so many people care about a child they didn’t know. I want to thank all of you from the bottom of my heart and I want to express my gratitude to you all for coming out and making my baby girl’s birthday so very special,” Laura wrote in a Facebook post following the event.
A party with a bleak beginning ended with a giant pink cake and dozens of new friends singing “Happy Birthday” to their little buddy Taliyah.
This article originally appeared on People.com
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