A KIND gardai decided to surprise an elderly local man in Meath with a cake and a mini-party to celebrate his 95th birthday. This week
Oliver McCann has been cocooning at his home in Navan for the past two months meaning he was unable to celebrate his big day in the company of friends and family this past Wednesday.
But local community garda Stacey Looby wasn’t going to let the occasion pass without some kind of celebration.
With the help of her colleagues, she organised for a cake to be delivered from a local supermarket all the way over to Oliver’s house.
She also got in touch with the popular Meath man’s neighbours, who were only too happy to join her in surprising Oliver at his door with his cake, a few other gifts and a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday.
"I was delivering messages to him last week as part of our efforts to help those cocooning during Covid-19," Stacey explained to the Meath Chronicle.
"He loves the chats and he mentioned that it was his 95th birthday soon so I thought I had to do something. I went to organise a cake from the nearby SuperValu and when they heard what it was for, they generously donated it.
"I also went to a few neighbours who spread the word and made sure they were all outside to sing him Happy Birthday when I asked him to come outside his house. About 30 neighbours showed up with that many gifts, he was waving us goodbye with a bunch of tulips," she added.
It was a gesture that stunned Oliver, who had been expecting to have another quiet day indoors.
"I was genuinely shocked and surprised that anyone would bother marking my birthday,” he told the Meath Chronicle.
"It has been hard isolating but we have to follow the rules. I'd just like to thank everyone for making my birthday so special."
