Odin Camus of #odinbirthday fame captains HMCS Montreal

A boy whose snubbed birthday party sparked a viral celebration will take control of a Royal Canadian Navy frigate today.

Those who snubbedOdinCamus's 13thbirthday needn't worry hewon't be piloting the HMCS Montreal toward his former hometown of Peterborough, Ont.

The sea cadet is in Halifax tobe captain for a day,one step closer to a dream career in the navy that he's been talking about since he was two.

"It's probably going to feel very good, said Camus."I know I'm just honorary captain, but it will probably make me feel like I have a sense of purpose."

#odinbirthday

Camus, who has Asperger Syndrome, threw a party when he turned 13, but none of his classmates wanted to go. His mother asked the internet to step up.

Roughly a gazillion people wished him a happy birthday online with the hashtag #odinbirthday, including museums, politicians and TV stars plus the actual Toronto Raptor.

Dozens of new friends also turned out for his party at a Peterborough-area bowling alley, cheering as Odin arrived in a white limo, and singingHappy Birthday.

And now he'll get to helm an actual warship. The frigate bristles witheightHarpoonmissiles, 16 Sea Sparrow missiles, a Bofors 57mm rapid-fire gun, eight12.7mm heavy machine guns and 24 anti-submarine homing torpedoes.

The ship also carries a torpedo-packing helicopter.

"It gives him the opportunity to live out a dream," said his mother, Melissa Camus.She's from Cape Breton, and this will be her first trip back to Nova Scotia in 15 years.(The family recently moved toOshawa.)

She expects it will be an emotional day.

Odin will start off ranked as an ordinary seaman, then quickly move up to captain, wearing a borrowed naval uniform.

"I think the pretty cool thing for Odin will be coming up to my bridge, me giving him that captain hat, and have him drive my ship for a bit," said Commander Kristjan Monaghan

Odin's mother says he was a toddler when he first started talking about joining the navy.

Learning the actual ropes

As a sea cadet, he's been learning basic naval terminology, tying knots and how to sail.

"He knows cadets is a privilege and that he needs to earn that privilege. It's helped with a regimen for him, which is very important for kids with Autism Spectrum Disorder," Melissa Camus said.

She noticed many changes in her son since he gained online fame particularly his newfound ability to speak to strangers.

"It's just really given him enough of a confidence boost to ride out the tougher times," she said.

Arlee Jeschke, Odin's sister, turns eight in a few weeks. She's pumped for her own birthday, but expects it to be lower key than her brother's.