ISELIN, N.J. — What started as a simple Facebook post quickly turned into a heartwarming show of community support when hundreds of people came together to deliver a drive-by birthday parade for Princeton Black, a nonverbal 12-year-old with autism from New Jersey.
The parade took place on Sunday in Green Acres Park in Burlington Township. More than a hundred people took part, riding motorcycles and driving sports cars.
Princeton’s mother, Zania Black, wanted her son’s birthday to be special this year. Inspired by her son’s love of cars, motorcycles and engines, she turned to Facebook to ask if anyone with a vehicle would participate in a drive-by parade to celebrate Princeton.
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Black was astonished by the instant and overwhelming response to her post. She received over 100 messages the first night alone, with her post eventually reaching more than 300 comments and hundreds of shares.
“I literally had to get off my page,” Black said.
Members of the Burlington County Board of Commissioners, Burlington Township Mayor E.L. Pete Green and local police department have reached out to show support.
Burlington County Commissioner Randy Brolo was especially committed to helping out as he too is a parent to a child with autism.
“I know how special it would be for my son to have something like this,” Brolo said.
Brolo, who works for the Laborers’ Union, which sponsors several NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series events, called in a special favor to bring signed memorabilia for Princeton to have. Accompanied with his son and daughter, he drove a customized car at the parade.
Black said she received support from several local businesses, including Johnson Ford, a local dealership.
Frank Dudley, an employee at the dealership, is passionate about community service and helping children with special needs. As the father of a daughter who has autism is blind, he feels drawn to helping families in similar situations.
“There is a lot of help out there, a lot of people that care,” Dudley said. “The community will always come around you if you allow.”
Dudley showed the post to the owner of the dealership, who agreed to drive a truck at the event. They brought pizza as well.
Three local motorcycle clubs also took part.
“Designerr”, a member of the group Ruff Ryders, said, “We like to help the community. We try to give back as much as possible.”
More than 20 members of Ruff Ryders rode their motorcycles in Princeton’s Parade.
Black said Princeton would be thrilled with the spectacle, even if he didn’t fully understand that it was for him.
“I can definitely see him clapping and smiling,” she said prior to the parade. “Princeton has a beautiful smile. Just being cheerful and filled with joy that he can see the cars and hear the ones in one space.”
Black hopes this event might lead to broader support for families with children on the autism spectrum.
She said she wants to work with Brolo and others to provide resources like sign language classes, noting that Princeton has learned to communicate through sign language.
“It means so much to me,” Black said. “It really does. It’s the love of the community that I didn’t even know I had just a week ago before I posted that.
“I felt over-stimulated, overwhelmed with being a single parent. Not knowing what to do for my son’s birthday and to see that the community come together without even knowing Princeton or me, and wanting to really make his birthday special, has been just so much love.”
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