Hundreds attend 10-year-old’s birthday party after mom’s heartfelt Facebook plea

Hundreds attend 10-year-old’s birthday party after mom’s heartfelt Facebook plea


Meet Mackenzie Moretter, a 10-year-old from Shakopee, Minn., who almost had a very lonely birthday party.

When none of Mackenzie’s classmates RSVP’d to the invitation for her 10th-birthday party, Mackenzie’s mom, Jenny, decided to take a different approach to get people to attend.

Jenny wrote a heartfelt Facebook post asking other moms of girls Mackenzie’s age to stop by the party or at least wish her a happy birthday. “She is incredibly loving and wants more than anything to have friends,” Jenny wrote. “As a mother, it is heartbreaking.”

Within a few hours the post went viral, and suddenly hundreds of people were promising to come out for Mackenzie’s birthday party.  

When Mackenzie was 1 year old, she was diagnosed with Sotos Syndrome (cerebral gigantism), a genetic disorder that causes excessive physical growth during the first two to three years and also delays social and intellectual skills. Her parents say this has made it harder for her to make friends.

“Kids are friendly to her, but she doesn’t have friends. No one calls and talks to her. I’ll show up at her school and she will be playing alone,” her father, Matthew Moretter, told NBC affiliate KARE.

Mackenzie’s previous birthday parties have been smaller affairs, with just family members, but this year she told her mom that she wanted a “big-girl party.” Thanks to her mother’s viral Facebook post, she was able to have the party of a lifetime.

“I honestly thought it would be a matter of a few other moms out there who I touched their heartstrings,” Jenny said.

More than 300 people turned out on Saturday for the birthday bash, which was moved to a local park to accommodate the longer guest list. Volunteers pitched in to set up and provide music, and local businesses donated food to the event.

“I’m overwhelmed with emotions, my heart has been touched by so many stories similar to mine or just people wishing her a Happy Birthday. I will never be able to thank you all enough for your kindness,” Jenny wrote on the event page on Facebook.

There were also a few special guests in attendance, including Vikings player Charles Johnson and a woman who came dressed as Elsa from Frozen.

To top it all off, the mayor of Shakopee, Brad Tabke, proclaimed April 18, 2015, Mackenzie Moretter Day.

“I have a hard time making friends in school, but thanks to all of you, my voice was heard,” Mackenzie told the party crowd. “I love you all.”