A six-year-old from Arizona has been showered with support on social media after a heartbreaking photo of him sitting alone at his 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡day pizza party went viral.
Teddy Mazzini invited 32 of his classmates to celebrate his 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡day at a Peter Piper Pizza restaurant in Tucson on Sunday afternoon – but no one showed up.
Local news reporter Nick VinZant posted a photo of Teddy sitting at a long table surrounded by dozens of empty paper plates on Facebook, asking others to wish the youngster a happy 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡day following the sad turnout.
The photo quickly caught the attention of the community as the Phoenix Suns NBA team and Phoenix Rising MLS team invited Teddy to celebrate his big day at their upcoming games.
This photo of six-year-old Teddy Mazzini sitting alone at his 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡day pizza party that none of his kindergarten classmates attended in Tucson, Arizona, on Sunday has gone viral on social media as sympathetic members of the community extend their best wishes
Sil Mazzini, Teddy’s mom, told ABC15 that 32 party invitations had been sent out to the kindergartner’s classmates and their parents.
She said a few people respond that they wouldn’t be able to make it – but the rest of the guests were simply no-shows.
‘I’m done with parties for a while,’ Mazzini joked after the sad affair.
However, she said the family would hold its own celebration on Monday night by reading 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡day wishes shared after the photo she passed along to VinZant went viral.
Teddy is pictured left in his Halloween costume last year and right with his mom Sil Mazzini, who said 32 invitations had been sent out to the kindergartner’s classmates and their parents
Facebook user Tyler Hendrick commented: ‘From one friend to another: People are wonderful, but the quantity matters little. It is the quality of those you choose that matter. <3 Be happy and enjoy ALL that pizza!! That is the best part!’
William O’Brien wrote: ‘Happy 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡day my man. Once you realize happiness is from the inside stuff like this won’t hurt so bad. Wish I’d known I’d have made the drive to see you. Happy 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡day lil fella.’
Fellow father Adam Burnside had a particularly heartfelt message, writing: ‘Happy Birthday Teddy!!!! I’m a parent of two boys and would love to become friends with you guys!
‘Teddy, I know this is hard to wrap your head around now but I hope your parents print these comments out and save them for you because there are 2 things I know in this short 35 years on this earth, #1 Very, very few people still have the friends they made in elementary school as they do as adults. #2 The best, best, best friends in the whole wide world came into my life at 28yr old and at 32yr old.
‘Teddy, find something you love to do and be the best you can at it and most important, HAVE FUN!!!! You are only a kid once!!!! Much love and hugs!!!! Sincerely, Adam & The Burnside family.’
Sil Mazzini shared the photo of Teddy with local news reporter Nick VinZant, who invited fans to wish him a happy 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡day. Some of the hundreds of heartfelt comments are shown above
Among the well wishes was a message from the Suns, who tweeted: ‘How about we celebrate with thousands at our place! Tickets to Wednesday’s #SunsVSLakers game are all yours Teddy! Talk soon!’
The Rising soccer team also offered Teddy tickets to a playoff game on Friday along with a personalized jersey.
The team wrote on Twitter: ‘Teddy can get The Mala from @VeneziasPizzaand join 7,000 of his closest friends this Friday. Come on out Teddy! #UpRising.’
The Phoenix Suns NBA team and Phoenix Rising MLS team both invited Teddy to celebrate his 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡day at their upcoming games after the sad pizza party photo went viral
However, many people responding to the photo accused the mom of shamelessly seeking attention.
Kathy Van Hilsen wrote on Facebook: ‘Sounds like a poor attempt get sympathy and or gift using social media. I highly doubt if the mother planned the party correctly nobody would show up. Plus what Mother (sic) invites the entire class. She set him up for failure and then publicized her accomplishment to shame him more. Sad.’
Nancy Niblett had similar concerns, commenting: ‘Something is wrong here. First of all why didn’t they ask for RSVP? And if they invited 32 classmates and their parents? No way none of them came if they really received invites, plus not much pizza was ordered for that many.
‘We’ve had same happen after people rsvp’d but not 32! Plus agree you don’t humiliate him even more. Parents either wanted attention and gifts or something by sending this to the news.
‘Sorry for the innocent 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥 here but would love to know the real truth here. Why are none of those parents responding saying something? Teacher or someone??!’
Many of the people commenting on ABC15’s post about Teddy’s party expressed outrage that his mother would share her son’s humiliation with the news outlet
A skeptical Latosha Hosko wrote: ‘So let me get this right..his mom wants someone who sees this post to feel bad and start a GoFundMe to pay for what his mom put out for the party..ain’t going to happen.’
Other commenters shifted blame onto ABC15 for spreading the sad story at the boy’s expense.
Aliesha Marie Knighton commented on the outlet’s Facebook post: ‘Quick! Someone call the news, let’s embarrass this kid even more than he already is. Good lord. This is so wrong.’
Amy Arakawa Tong expressed sympathy for Teddy, writing: ‘Six years old and he will remember! If he stays at that school, this incident will follow him throughout his years at the school. Kids don’t forget.’
DailyMail.com has reached out to Sil Mazzini for comment.
Others blamed the news outlet itself for publicizing Teddy’s disappointing 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡day turnout