This NBA Team Invited A 6-Year-Old Boy To A Game After No One Showed Up To His Birthday Party

Who doesn’t love a good comeback story?

Teddy Mazzini, of Tucson, Arizona, recently turned 6 years old and decided to celebrate in one of the best ways possible: with lots of pizza. So, Teddy’s mom invited all of his classmates and their friends to a pizza party. Unfortunately, none of them showed up, which is sad and also shocking because, you know, pizza.

Teddy’s mom shared a heartbreaking photo of Teddy sitting alone at the pizza table, and a local Tucson reporter shared it on Facebook, asking that people wish Teddy a happy birthday to take the sting off.

Local viewers quickly chimed in with well-wishes — and then some more unexpected folks started taking notice. Music mogul DJ Khaled wished Teddy a happy birthday, and then the NBA’s Phoenix Suns upped the ante by inviting Teddy to a basketball game against LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.

And so, on Oct. 24, Teddy went to his first pro basketball game. He got a customized jersey and even met a few of the players like Trevor Ariza before the game. Not a bad birthday after all!

It’s a feel-good story for the most part, but this is the internet so nothing is as simple as that. Some have accused Teddy’s mother of posting the picture to gain attention while others have wondered if the picture was a hoax, though the reporter who initially posted it said he verified the story with the pizza place. Even Teddy’s mom admits she regrets sending in the photo now.

But however you feel about his parents’ actions, Teddy did nothing wrong here and the Phoenix Suns stepped up to give him a birthday he will never forget.

Just look at this smile and try not to feel all warm and fuzzy inside:

[h/t Fatherly]