Watch: Teen With Down Syndrome Gets Emotional Over Rare Birthday Invite

Heather Avis, the mother of a 15-year-old daughter with Down Syndrome, recently took to Instagram to share a video of her daughter sobbing joyfully after receiving an invitation to a birthday party. Macy, who had just started high school, was rarely invited to parties by her peers and could count on one hand how many she had been invited to since Kindergarten. So when she got an invite from a fellow differently abled kid in her school, she could not hold back her tears.

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'We All Want to be Wanted'

Birthday parties are an integral part of a child’s social development. They allow children to interact with their peers and build friendships that carry over to the school setting. However, children with disabilities are more likely to be excluded from such events due to their differences and lack of awareness on the parents' part.

Macy went through a similar experience throughout her life as she was put in classrooms where she was different from all her peers due to her condition. It was when she joined high school that she joined a life skills program where she was surrounded by kids who had similar intellectual disabilities. She could see herself in her community, which gave her a sense of belonging.

Heather tells Today.com how Macy felt instantly embraced the moment she walked into the classroom. “It speaks to the common humanity that we all share. We all as humans want to feel like we belong. We all want to be wanted,” she added. 

Macy's story highlights how important it is to create safe, inclusive spaces for children with disabilities.

A noteworthy detail: the birthday boy is a differently-abled student in the life skills class at Macy’s school. The party was inclusive not because a student in the general education program invited Macy, but because a person with an intellectual disability invited both disabled and non-disabled individuals. It was inclusive because people like Macy and the young man we were celebrating, who are often excluded, truly understand how to include others, noted Heather Avis on Instagram.

In another Instagram post, Heather updates us about Macy's experience at the birthday party. Macy could not stop laughing and declared, "It was so fun! I love birthday parties!"