5-Year-Old Birthday Girl Surprised with Sweet Tailgate "Party" Amid Coronavirus Social Distancing

This girl from Mississippi got a birthday surprise she'll never forget.

We don't think this youngster will ever forget her 5th birthday. 

As the coronavirus pandemic continues, people all over the world are adapting to life at a safe distance from each other. However, while social distancing protocols are in effect, that doesn't mean celebrating life's special moments has also come to a halt. Such was the case in Tupelo, Miss., where a girl named Madeline got a special surprise in honor of her 5th birthday: a "tailgate" with family and friends. 

In a video her family shared with E! News, you can see Madeline go outside to find a group of cars parked in front of her house with loved ones enthusiastically singing "Happy Birthday" to her from their individual vehicles. There was no mistaking who the birthday girl was as a sign reading "Happy 5th Birthday Madeline" stretched across the front lawn. 

"Madeline is the youngest of four sisters and is a very social and spunky little girl," Madeline's mom, Kellie, told E! News. "She had big plans for her 5th birthday. Once we realized we were going to be quarantined on her birthday, we were all so sad because we knew she would be devastated. We, as a family of six, tried to think of ways we could do fun things at home all day, including a scavenger hunt for her presents."

Little did they know something very special was in store. Kellie explained, "The morning of her birthday, a friend's mom [texted] me to let us know she coordinated all of Madeline's friends to come sing to her in our cul de sac while social distancing in their cars. I immediately cried because I knew what this would mean to Madeline to see her friends. When we took her outside, she was so surprised to see everyone in their cars singing to her and couldn't stop smiling."

 

Needless to say, the surprise was a hit. "She just kept repeating,'This is the best birthday ever!'"

The celebrations did not stop there for the birthday girl. "We spent the rest of the day eating all of her favorite foods—spaghetti, birthday cake and s'mores—and playing all of her favorite games. We even had a family zoom meeting, so they could sing to her, too!" Kellie said. 

 

While the touching surprise was for their daughter, it meant just as much to Kellie and the rest of their family. "It meant the world to us that our friends took the time to come help celebrate Madeline. We are all going through hard and uncertain times, and just knowing we have love and support is everything," she told E! News. "When someone blesses you, you want to pay it forward and find ways to bless others. I've seen that a lot going through this awful pandemic."

 

Now, the birthday girl is looking forward to the day when she can make the rest of her birthday plans a reality. "Madeline has a lot of plans to celebrate when we can! She wants a huge princess party with all of her family and friends together. There will be more cake, of course. She is counting down the days until she can hug all of her people!"

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