Local News

The Love of 1,000 Texans

By  | 
Tony Maples Photography

 

When none of her friends showed up to Alexis Barnes’ sixth birthday, this little girl still managed to get the party that was so well-deserved when just one week afterward, more than 1,000 people came to celebrate her in her hometown in Texas.

The Love of 1,000 Texans

Photo: Facebook/Jessica Barnes

Following Alexis’ solo birthday celebrations, her mother, Jessica Barnes, posted the sad story on Facebook, bringing in community support and comments from family and friends alike. Not looking to draw pity to the situation, Barnes identified “We didn’t ask for this. This wasn’t our intention. We just wanted to share that it’s close to the holidays, and birthdays are hard for kids.”

The Love of 1,000 Texans

Photo: Facebook/Jessica Barnes

Voicing these frustrations allowed the creative juices from the kindness of others to flow. The post went viral in Barnes’ circle of friends, who shared it 533 times, receiving comments from more than 1,000 people, and ultimately brought light to the situation. Charlie Diggs was one of the strangers on the receiving end of one of those shares, taking it upon himself to begin planning a surprise party for Alexis. His birthday do-over idea, in turn, attracted the attention of party-goers in the hundreds, confirming their attendance.

The Love of 1,000 Texans

Photo: Facebook/Jessica Barnes

When Alexis thought she was going to have family portraits done (the story she was told), she was completely surprised with a giant Texas-sized birthday party in her honor. Gifts came in from not only those in attending the party, but from all over the country. So much so that she has decided together with her family to donate a large amount of them to an orphanage in Galveston. In an interview with the Houston Chronicle, Jessica Barnes was quoted saying, “People have the power to change lives with random acts of kindness. And we plan to pay it forward in whatever way we can.”