A Port St. Lucie 13-year-old with autism, who only had one wish to have a few friends and a birthday party, had a celebration fit for a superhero on Sunday.
After NewsChannel 5's initial story on William Morales, the community came together and made his wish come true.
When William got his first look Sunday at the huge crowds that had turned out for his birthday, he didn't quite know what to say.
"That's a lot of people," he eventually offered.
The 13-year-old is on the autism spectrum and had been constantly bullied at school.
"Last year was awful, not fun. This year, not that bad," said William.
When WPTV spoke with William this week, he said all he wanted for his birthday was a friend.
When the community heard about William's situation, it rallied around him. A police escort brought biker groups, cosplay characters and more to SuperPlay USA in Port St. Lucie.
"The police department is against bullying, and we wanted this event to go down without a hitch," said Master Sgt. Richard Schichtel with the Port St. Lucie Police Department.
The party was organized by Crowdfunnit, a non-profit which holds similar events around the country.
"He's understanding now that people do care. There are kind compassionate people in the world," said Lisa Geng with CrowdFunnit.
William's father says he's noticed some positive changes in his son, and William's mom says this event doesn't just strengthen a single family, but a whole community.
"For not just my son but to make everyone aware that we'll stand against bullying and alienation," said William's mom Tricia Morales.
