Odin Camus to continue birthday celebrations in Halifax

Odin Camuss birthday went viral last week and now the teen will continue his birthday celebrations in Halifax as honorary captain of a navy ship.

"Ive always wanted to be in the navy," said Odin. "Im a sea cadet now and get to be the captain of my own ship for a day...should be fun."

Odins story went viral when his mom Melissa put a plea on Facebook asking friends to text her son who has Aspergerssyndrome and wish him a happy13th birthday after none of his classmates RSVPd to his party in Peterborough, Ont., where the family lives.

The response to the Facebook post went further than Camus imagined it would.

Birthday greetings poured in from around the world with around 10,000 text messages flooding Odins phone since Camus posted his number.

The hashtag #odinbirthday was trending on Twitter and Facebook and Odin got messages from the Toronto Blue Jays, Elijah Wood and Justin Trudeau.

Now the Camus family is coming to Halifax so Odin can take the helm of a Royal Canadian Navy ship as an honorary captain.

Odin has been talking about being in the Navy since he was twoyearsold, said Camus.

Odin's birthday goes viral

10 years ago

Duration 1:39

Peterborough, Ont. teen Odin Camus gets birthday greetings from around the world after no one RSVP'd to his party

"Hes incredibly proud of our troops," she said. "He knows what its like to feel bullied and he wants to be able to step up and protect people...as a troop."

Odin has been "flipping out" since he found out about the trip, said Camus.

The family doesnt know when they will be in Halifax but Camus says she hopes to turn it into a family reunion. Camus says her family is originally from Cheticamp but she hasnt been to the East Coast in 15 years. It will be Odins first trip to Nova Scotia.

"I used to have a great time there when I was kid and I hope he falls as in love with it as I still am," she said.

The birthday that was saved by strangers has meant the world to the Camus family. Camus says she and Odin have cried more in the last week than ever before.

"I still dont even know how to really articulate how much this means to us that people have just been able to show him that people care."

The texts and tweets are still coming in.

"My son finally realizes that people care," she said.