The precious moment a boy with cerebral palsy managed to blow out his own birthday candle has gone viral online.
Like most children, Jack Widbin gets to mark his birthday with a delicious cake of his choice. However, while others can easily make a wish and blow out the candles, Jack never could—until now.
At the age of 11 months, Jack was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, severely impacting his mobility and development. His mom, Andi Widbin, told Newsweek that he “had a stroke at birth” that was later revealed in a brain MRI.
“Jack is unable to move his muscles normally on the left side of his body,” said Andi, who is from Orlando, Florida. “He also experiences major muscle contractions, which prevent fluid movement and affects his ability to walk.”
Cerebral palsy is a group of disorders caused by abnormal brain development, affecting the ability to control muscles. It’s the most common motor disability in children, with roughly 1 in every 345 children in the U.S. having been diagnosed, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The condition causes problems with movement and posture, and some people may also experience intellectual disability, seizures, problems with their vision hearing or speech, and joint problems.
Over the years, Jack has overcome many challenges and continues to bring joy to his family. There are many things he cannot do, but he refuses to let that diminish his spirit.
Though it might seem minor to others, blowing out his birthday candle has always been difficult for Jack. Every year, he would attempt to do it but was never able to blow them out without help.
That changed on April 28, when he turned 7 and showed everyone just how far he’s come.
“Jack usually would attempt to blow them out himself and oftentimes he would be able to with help, but his seventh birthday was the first time he did it completely on his own,” Andi said. “We were all very excited and a little surprised that he did it right away without anyone needing to push the cake closer or even lean him towards it.”
The birthday boy was very pleased and couldn’t stop smiling after.
The incredible moment was caught on camera, and Andi knew she had to share it on social media (@widbin_world on TikTok and Instagram). The video shows a montage of all the times Jack struggled to blow out the candle, and finally succeeding on his seventh birthday.
The clip has gone viral with more than 3.8 million views on TikTok and 3 million on Instagram at the time of writing.
Andi often shares glimpses of their life living with cerebral palsy online to connect with others and raise awareness. The reaction is often very supportive, but the response to this video has been on another level.
By sharing Jack’s story, Andi hopes to show that there is still so much love and joy in his life. While he may need assistance for most daily tasks, he doesn’t let that define who he is.
“We have received a lot of encouraging messages from others with cerebral palsy who remember the days of not being able to blow out their candles,” she said. “We also received a lot of positive feedback from people without disabilities who have been reminded to appreciate the little things and accomplishments in life.”
Jack’s accomplishment has generated more than 592,400 likes and 2,100 comments on TikTok already, as users hailed his perseverance.
One comment reads: “There were moments he looked disappointed; but not once did he look defeated.”
Another TikTok user wrote: “oh how I cheered him on and cried when he did it YAY!”
While another person added: “7 years in the making! Well done!”
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The post Tears as Boy With Cerebral Palsy Is Able To Blow Out Own Birthday Candle appeared first on Newsweek.
