An autistic boy has received tens of thousands of birthday cards from strangers all over the world, after his mother made a public appeal.
Karen Jones, 49, from Exmouth, posted a request for help on Facebook after her son Ollie told her he loved opening cards and had made his own to open on his 15th birthday.
Writing on a community page, she said: “He’s just told me he love opening cards to [the] extent he’s made himself a couple.”
“We are a small family and he has no friends so gets very few.”
By Ollie’s birthday on Saturday, his mother said he had received some 20,000 cards, messages and presents from people all over the world who had seen her plea.
For comparison, the Queen is estimated to receive 17,000 cards each year on her birthday.
Speaking to the Independent, she said she took Ollie to a family friend's house for his birthday.
"He sat in a hot tub with his new selfie-stick and said: 'mum, I'm famous'".
Ms Jones, who is a voluntary support worker for parents of autism, spoke of how positively her family had been affected by the widespread act of kindness.
Having autism means her son struggles with processing, she added, which affects his verbal and academic communication.
"I'd love to thank everyone and remind people that there are 'Ollies' everywhere," she said.
"Some people might think it's just a card - but to us it's massive. Sending cards can bring so much joy".
Boxes of post began arriving to the Jones's on Thursday, and boxes are said to still be incoming from strangers as far as Cyprus, Crete and Australia.
The Facebook message has been shared more than 25,000 times and attracted thousands of comments from well-wishers using the hashtag #cards4ollie.
One well-wisher from Saudi Arabia sent the teenager an X-Box, and another has offered the family a weekend away.
Speaking to the Plymouth Herald, Ollie said: “No one gives me birthday cards, just me.
“It's fab, amazing and fun - but not so many next year please.”
Ms Jones said: ”My son made two birthday cards.
“He has no friends because of his autism and when I saw he had made the cards it pulled my heart strings.
“I thought maybe we could just try to get him a few extra cards this year.”
When droves of cards and messages began to arrive, she said it brought “tears to the eyes".
“It was a lump in the throat moment,” she said. ”All I can say is thank you, the kindness, love and goodwill of everyone has been phenomenal.”
