Soon to be eight-year-old Cole Payeur poses for a photo at the Dunmore McDonald's with his new bike, which was just one of the surprised the McDonald's staff set up to help him celebrate his birthday. -- SUBMITTED PHOTO
Medicine Hat News
Birthdays are best spent with your friends and family.
Unfortunately for soon-to-be eight-year-old Cole Payeur the group of friends he invited to his birthday party last weekend at the Dunmore Road McDonald’s were all unable to show up for one reason or another.
Cole’s mother Brandy says he was pretty sad the day of his party, but managed to shake the day off and enjoy the rest of it.
“I think it was really hard on him to have no one show up,” she said. “We went out bowling as a family afterwards and had a really good time, but you could tell he was pretty upset by it.”
The family celebrates Cole’s birthday two weeks early every year before the school year is over and families head out of the city on vacation, and after the staff at the restaurant noticed no one had showed up to Cole’s birthday, they gave Cole and Brandy free breakfast.
“Getting the free breakfast that morning was more than generous from the staff at McDonald’s,” said Cole’ father Scott. “What we didn’t know was what they had planned for today (Saturday).”
On Saturday the manager at the Dunmore McDonald’s contacted Brandy and told her the staff had something it wanted to give to Cole.
“When we went down there today I was crying before we even pulled into the parking lot,” said Brandy. “The store had their sign saying happy birthday to Cole and we thought that was the greatest thing.”
As they went into the restaurant, Cole and Brandy had no idea what to expect.
“The staff at McDonald’s just really went above and beyond anything we could have expected,” said Brandy. “They surprised Cole with a new bike, decorated the play area for him, had cupcakes with candles for him to blow out, a Corvette that he got to take a ride in and they had balloons — Cole absolutely loves balloons.”
Brandy says the act of kindness had her and Cole in tears.
“I cried a few times for sure,” she said. “Seeing my child that happy was just so amazing. He was smiling the entire time. He went from having a birthday to forget, to having one he can really remember.”
Brandy and Scott both said they just wanted to thank the staff at the Dunmore McDonald’s, as well as all of the other businesses that contributed to the day’s celebration.
To see Scott’s Facebook post, click here.
