TAMPA, Fla. — Birthdays in quarantine are taking on a life of their own across Tampa Bay. Parents and even kids are finding unique ways to surprise loved ones and friends on their special day.
Kari Stanley, who lives in St. Petersburg’s Shore Acres neighborhood, wanted to make sure her daughter Adalyn’s birthday was different-- in a good way.
“It’s her 5th birthday and it should be special,” she said.
Normally they would have friends and family over, but this year, they celebrated in what felt like a full house.
“I got to see all of my family on the computer!” Adalyn said.
Stanley set up a Zoom birthday with family from all around. They sang “Happy Birthday” to Adalyn and watched her blow out the candles on her cake.
“Normally we have friends and family over and this year we couldn’t do that, so it was another way to be able to get everybody together," Stanley said. "We made it extra special because we got to have all of our family from Michigan."
Daegen Walker’s mom, Audrey Walden, shared on Nextdoor about how her 15-year-old daughter surprised her friend who was also turning 15.
“She was in like complete shock. It was really funny,” Walker said.
The South Tampa teenager phoned in a favor to her Uncle Brian Walden who owns Pirate Ice & Frozen Treats. He picked up Walker in his food truck and they surprised her friend, Olivia.
“My birthday was also in quarantine. I didn’t get to really do anything so I thought it would be cool to do something for her,” Walker said.
The bonus was finally getting to see her friend after more than a month away from school.
“I definitely don’t think she was expecting to see me in the window of the truck at all,” she said.
Brian kept the chain of birthday surprises going with a stop in Valrico’s Bent Tree neighborhood.
“Birthdays are like Christmas in our house,” said Stacey Gardiner.
She organized a drive-by birthday parade with the Pirate Ice truck leading the way.
“As soon as I walked outside, I heard the Pirate Ice Truck and I’m like 'oh no here comes a big parade for me' and it was insane,” said 15-year-old Alex Gardiner.
There were 30 to 40 cars with friends and family who were there to support him on his big day.
“I thought I was gonna have a bum birthday. I thought I was gonna have nobody come over, which you kind of expect, but then it was amazing. It was a great surprise. I like it, a lot,” he said.
He says it was by far one of the best and most memorable birthdays.
Alex's mom even found creating a quarantine birthday is both easy and fast to set up. She sent an invite on Facebook letting everyone know it was a surprise and asking them to maintain social distancing.
Brian Walden says his shaved ice truck is usually meant for festivals or big events, but he can be available for birthdays and follows all guidelines to keep families safe.
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