LAKE STATION, Ind. (CBS) — Ever been stood up? How about on your birthday? How about when you are 9 years old?

As CBS 2’s Brad Edwards reports, that happened to one Lake Station, Ind. boy, but what happened after is even more incredible.

Gerald Hamilton celebrated the big 9 on Saturday, but the celebration didn’t go as planned.

UPDATE: Gifts Roll In For Stood-Up Birthday Boy

“Twelve classmates said that they would come to his party,” says his grandmother, Amelia Lara. “Three o’clock came and went. Four o’clock came and went. Five o’clock came and his mom said ‘we should cut the cake’ and Gerald said, ‘But one of my friends might come’ and none came.”

None of the 30 invites. Lara says it’s heartbreaking.

“He’s just a kid who wants friends to play with,” she says.

Gerald said he felt sad.

He’s had three major brain surgeries, skull expansion surgeries.

“So he’s slower than other kids,” Lara said.

He often plays alone, but when no one came to the party, Grandma vented on Facebook and wrote, “It is my mission to have as many cards mailed to my little guy.”

Lara says, “It just went crazy.”

It was shared 2,500 times so far.

Now, gifts from strangers and cards come in from Vietnam to London.

Of all the gifts, the cards are his favorites.

Want to join in the fun? Cards and gifts can be sent to:

Gerald Hamilton

c/o Amelia Lara

238 Main Street

Hobart, IN, 46342.