MERRIMAC, MASS. (WHDH) - Merrimac residents threw a special birthday party for a Special Olympian on Saturday.
Cars lined the road to wave hello and send birthday wishes to Dean Shaw, who turned 51.
“That’s a lot of people,” Dean said. “I got so excited.”
Dean, who has Down’s Syndrome, was one of seven swimmers who represented Massachusetts in the World Games in 1995. He usually keeps busy working at McDonald’s and Shaws, but has been unable to do so because of the coronavirus pandemic, his mother Ruth said.
And Dean’s father died last Thanksgiving, which has also been hard him, Ruth said.
“They were very close, so between that, the holidays, and the COVID, he can’t go to work, so he’s been home all the time instead of being at McDonalds and Shaws, and that’s been difficult, too,” Ruth said.
So friends decided to surprise both Dean and Ruth and raise their spirits with the parade, and Ruth said it was a success.
“I was really excited, and excited to see that all of his friends showed up,” Ruth said. “It was really nice.”
(Copyright (c) 2024 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)