Adonai Gutierrez was restless with excitement days before his 7th birthday party -- that's why it was such a let down when his invited guests didn't show up.
“I got super excited. I was like is it my birthday today or today. Because I wanted my birthday to come,” Adonai said.
The young boy is from Woodland, California. His mother, Maria Lopez, planned the party at Woodside Park -- she set up an elaborate picnic table, with cupcakes and giftbags. Adonai was overwhelmed with joy. He sat and waited for hours, but nobody showed up.
So, surrounded by only a few of his closest family members, young Gutierrez blew out his candles with a tender heart.
“I was like why did I even have a birthday if nobody came," Adonai said.
His aunt Melissa Chavez wasn't content with the turnout, so, she turned to a local Facebook group for support. Not long after, hundreds of comments on the 'Good Neighbors of Woodland' Facebook page turned into birthday letters and gifts.
“The next morning I woke up to my phone with a whole bunch of notifications and I was like what’s going on," Lopez said.
The community didn't stop at cards. On Sunday, they threw a surprise birthday party, a do-over you could call it. Food, three birthday cakes, bouncy houses, everything was donated. Ryan Boone, a complete stranger to the family, who is also in the Facebook group, organized it all.
Adonai was brought to the park in style - in a metallic green hot-rod - also offered up by strangers. An estimated 200 people showed up and welcomed him with hugs and sang him happy birthday.
So, was he surprised? Well you be the judge.
"Nana, when I got out of the car, I had to hold on to you because it felt like I was going to fall over," Adonai later said to his grandmother.
After a day of fun, Adonai was exhausted but it was well worth it. He called his party 'amazing' and said it was his favorite birthday yet.