Manchester residents throw party for homeless man who usually celebrates birthday alone
'It was really overwhelming for him but he’s a special guy and it was a pleasure and honour to make him feel good on his birthday'
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Your support makes all the difference.A homeless man in Manchester has been thrown a party after a group of friends heard he was planning to celebrate his birthday alone.
The man, called Steve, usually sleeps next to a disused phone box in the Cheetham Hill area of the city, accompanied by his dog Tyson.
In previous years, the 46-year-old has spent his birthday by himself, but this year local residents decided to throw him a birthday party, complete with cake, presents and balloons.
The celebration was organised by Shalva Moussa, a mother-of-three who lives nearby, and her friends.
Explaining how Steve was “so overwhelmed” by the gesture, she told the Manchester Evening News: “He never asks for money, he just sits there with his dog, and talks to passers-by.
“He’s a really nice guy and you can have some really interesting conversations with him about different things.”
Ms Shalva, 35, said she often buys Steve food or a hot drink and was saddened to learn that he had never had a proper birthday party and could not remember the last time he had celebrated his birthday.
She said: “He told me he’d find a candle for himself from somewhere, light it and blow it out. Last year he spent it alone in tears.
“The vision of that broke my heart, I was determined to not let that happen this year so I asked him when his birthday was and put it in my diary.”
Along with her friends, Ms Shalva decorated the phone box with balloons and “Happy Birthday” banners, and bought Steve presents and cards.
She said: “It was really overwhelming for him but he’s a special guy and it was a pleasure and honour to make him feel good on his birthday.”
Despite the kind gesture, Ms Shalva said she gained more from Steve than she gives to him.
She said: “Steve always thinks other people are giving to him, but it’s actually him giving to us.
“It’s inspiring to see how positive and determined he is considering the circumstances he’s in. Thankfully he’s on the right pathways now and is hoping to find a home soon.”
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