How a vacuum salesman invited to a birthday party for a child with autism moved the room to tears

[Contrary1]

What a nice story to start off your Tuesday morning.



"CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. — Ever since he was a two-year-old boy, Dylan Greene has had a passion for vacuum cleaners. Dylan, who has autism, was never into “normal” toys, his mother Jodie said. The Swift Creek Middle School student turned 14 years old over the weekend and celebrated his birthday with a party that included close friends, family and a vacuum salesman.

You see, in an effort to help make her son’s birthday even more special, Jodie Greene sent the following email to the Kirby Company, the Cleveland-based makers of the Kirby vacuum.

'I am reaching out to you in hopes for an answer to an unusual request for my son who is autistic. He has always been obsessed with vacuum cleaners. His favorite is the Kirby. He spends hours every day watching videos on his tablet about different Kirby’s. When he isn’t watching videos about them, he is talking about them. I really would LOVE to get a demo done for him for his birthday. In fact, I am even getting him a cake made that looks like a Kirby vacuum. I am writing to you in hopes that you can get me in touch with a way to get him this demo. I want to be clear that I do not intend on purchasing a Kirby. I was hoping that I could pay a flat fee or thought that maybe if you have salesmen in training that needs to get in practice demos for training purposes. I do not want anything free, but as the mother of a special needs child, it is so hard to find things to make my son happy. I know that having this demo done would just be so awesome, and it would warm my heart to see him so excited to experience that.'

The company received Jodie’s email and made her son’s birthday dream come true. In addition to sending Dylan a soccer ball, hat and t-shirt with the Kirby logo, Kirby salesman Al Archie traveled from Fredericksburg to Chesterfield to perform a vacuum demonstration at Dylan’s party..."

More: http://wtvr.com/2015/01/19/kirby-vacuum-birthday-party/

[ND-Dem]

1. very cool; the kid looks over the moon

[jmowreader]

7. He should...

According to the article, the Kirby rep gave him all the equipment you see in the picture of him.

His mom is probably equally delighted: those monsters are about $3000 apiece.

[JI7]

3. i like it that they allow him to enjoy what he does and don't force him to be interested

in toys and activities that kids/boys are "supposed" to be into.

[brer cat]

11. Amen and amen!

Some parents are clueless...these are top of the line. Kirby deserves a huge

[calimary]

4. That's a GREAT story!

Thanks so much for finding it, Contrary1!

A VERY smart salesman - and one with a heart. I hope his boss gave him a bonus.

[PotatoChip]

5. He's got good taste in vacuum cleaners.

As odd as that sounds...

Seriously though, they are very hardy machines. I bought mine in 1997 and it's still as effective as the day I got it. At the time, I felt guilty spending so much on a vacuum cleaner, but it has more than paid for itself.

Nice story. I'm glad that the young man had such a fun and memorable birthday. Kudos to the mom too!

[Scuba]

6. I'm told that getting a Kirby demo in your home isn't all that tough. The ball, hat and T-shirt ...

... are nice, but why didn't they give the kid a vacuum?

[jmowreader]

8. They did. Read the article.

[Scuba]

9. I'll take your word for it, but the OP might have included that.

[mnhtnbb]

10. What a nice story.

Our oldest son LOVED vacuums when he was a toddler. For Christmas when he was 3, my husband and I spent
a couple of hours putting together a bouncing rocking horse. Thought he'd love it. But what did he go for
on Christmas morning? Straight to the big red Shop-Vac my husband had bought for use in the basement
and put out with a big red bow on top of it! He did eventually outgrow his fascination with vacuums, and
now has a roomba for his house!

[nykym]

12. Well since nobady said it I will

Guess he really cleaned up!

[randome]

14. Oh, dust stop it.

[hr][font color="blue"][center]A ton of bricks, a ton of feathers, it's still gonna hurt.[/center][/font][hr]

[benz380]

13. Kirby should hire him when older. 25 yr vac salesman said Jodie knew more about Kirbys than he did.

[OregonBlue]

15. What a sweet story to brighten our day.