Leah Farrow tells PEOPLE her son Soren’s love of trick-or-treating inspired 83 neighbors to make his summer birthday unforgettable
Credit: Leah Farrow
NEED TO KNOW
- Leah Farrow’s 11-year-old son, Soren, loves trick-or-treating so much that she asked neighbors if he could celebrate his summer birthday by going door to door
- Instead of a handful of volunteers, 83 neighbors signed up, surprising Soren with candy, snacks and even gifts
- Farrow tells PEOPLE the experience reminded her that “there’s so much love and wonder in the world” when communities come together
When Leah Farrow asked her neighbors if they’d help make her son’s birthday wish come true, she thought a handful of people might say yes. Instead, 83 families spent a summer afternoon answering their doors for an 11-year-old boy who simply wanted to trick-or-treat.
“I did not expect it at all,” Farrow, 47, tells PEOPLE of the overwhelming response after asking her neighborhood Facebook group if anyone would let her son, Soren, trick-or-treat for his summer birthday. “I was expecting a few people to agree, but the sheer amount of people wanting to make my son’s birthday special was amazing.”
The heartwarming celebration, which Farrow later shared on TikTok, showed Soren dressed in a banana costume as he happily made his way from house to house with his trick-or-treat bucket. The video’s text overlay explained that after she asked neighbors whether they’d participate in a summer trick-or-treat, 83 people enthusiastically volunteered, while her caption thanked them for showing “why community matters.”
@spitting.wisdom
Not my usual content but I wanted to share this amazing act of kindness by my neighbors who came together to make my son’s birthday so special. This is why community matters. #autism #momtok #fyp #autistic #parents
♬ original sound – A – 🕶️🍸
For Soren, trick-or-treating had become much more than a Halloween tradition. Farrow says her son loves walking and ringing doorbells, and last fall he realized trick-or-treating let him do both all evening, quickly becoming one of his favorite activities.
“Since then, he would sometimes pretend play trick-or-treating at our house, putting on part of a costume and walking around with his bucket, knocking on doors and saying ‘trick-or-treat,’” she says.
As his birthday approached a few months later, Farrow started thinking about how she could recreate that excitement in the middle of summer. She turned to her neighborhood Facebook group, hoping enough families would be willing to answer the door for one afternoon.
Her neighbors didn’t just say yes. After Farrow offered to drop off candy for everyone to hand out, residents instead asked what Soren’s favorite candy, snacks and toys were so they could make each stop feel personal.
“It was incredibly touching to see the amount of effort everyone put into the day,” she says. “I offered to drop off candy for everyone to pass out, but no one took me up on that offer, and instead asked what candy he liked, as well as what toys and snacks.”
As Soren made his way through the neighborhood, some neighbors dropped candy into his bucket while others surprised him with gifts waiting behind the door. But for Farrow, it was another group of participants that left the biggest impression.
Credit: Leah Farrow
“I think seeing the children being so excited to participate really stayed with me,” she says. “Their joy was infectious and made me optimistic about Soren being loved and accepted by his peers.”
Throughout the celebration, Soren showed his excitement in the ways that come most naturally to him. Farrow says he repeated favorite phrases, jumped with excitement and flapped his arms before trick-or-treating began and throughout the afternoon.
For Farrow, the birthday celebration also quieted a worry many parents of autistic children know well. Seeing so many neighbors embrace her son made her feel confident that he belongs exactly where he is.
“Knowing that my community accepts him and embraces him gives me a sense of relief,” she says. “I know that my son is safe here, and loved by those around him.”
She hopes Soren’s story also reminds people that no two autistic children are alike. While Soren is sensory-seeking and loves movement, music and noise, she says many families still feel isolated because they’re afraid their child’s behaviors might inconvenience others.
“Reaching out to parents of autistic children in your life and offering to come over, even just to spend social time with them, can help a lot,” she says.
Credit: Leah Farrow
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Although Farrow never expected the TikTok to resonate with so many people, she believes its message is simple. Sometimes, she says, all it takes is asking for help to discover just how much kindness is already waiting nearby.
“I hope people take away that tons of good people are out there, and sometimes all you have to do is reach out and give them an opportunity to show that,” Farrow says. “It’s easy to get lost in the bad news, but there’s so much love and wonder in the world if you look for it.”
Read the full article here
