Man With Down Syndrome Showered With Love On 40th Birthday

CENTER MORICHES, NY — Keith Caputo has spent his life giving back to his community. His indomitable spirit has helped him to reach his dreams — he hasn't let a diagnosis of Down syndrome keep him from living a life dedicated to loving and helping those who need a hand.

Keith, whose his birthday is on Halloween, has spent years finding costumes for kids in need. And that's just one of the many activities he organizes to help others as founder and board member of the 501c3 not-for-profit organization "Helping Makes U Happy," which aims to show how every human is capable of making a difference through volunteering.

That's why when it was time for Keith's 40th birthday, his mother Cassy wanted to make it a day to remember. But the pandemic made that dream a little harder to realize.

"I was so worried about how to make this birthday special for Keith," Cassy said. "So much he really enjoyed has been taken away from him by the pandemic — hugging , bowling, hugging, Foxwoods, hugging."

Cassy said she had planned for more than a year to have a fundraising casino night for his 40th birthday.

"No presents, he just wanted to raise money for helping," she said. "That, of course, is on hold. So then he asked for a great big birthday car parade. And lunch on the lawn for family – we haven’t had a meal with family outside our home since March."

Cassy sprang into action, creating a Facebook event, and so many caring friends responded, she said.

"I hardly slept a wink all week prior for waking up and checking the weather. But the gods smiled on Keith — it was a beautiful day," she said. "It was truly a day where Keith was shown how much people love him!"

A community came together to give back in a big way to Keith and show him just how much his years of caring have meant to all the lives he's touched.

Cassy asked a neighbor who recently started a business, the Tipsy Pony Pop Up Bar Cart, if she’d come to his party to serve hot apple cider and drinks and bring a donut wall "so it would look special for him."

"I was fully intending to pay but, it’s Keith — donated. I ordered a Halloween birthday sign from East End Sign to purchase so he could have it every year. But it’s Keith — donated." She smiled.

Lenneke Symes, "who’s been making people happy all summer with her birthday cake inflatable surprised us by coming by and setting it up on the lawn," Cassy said. "Peter Olivieri brought his Islander mascot— no charge. Neighbors decorated their lawns with signs, and a friend’s son came and played his bagpipes, which made Keith cry happy tears."

Fire Departments, ambulance companies, the Suffolk County Police Department, and Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon all sent representatives, she said.

Caputo also thanked Tow Trucks for Kids of NYC, Inc., who "did do so much to make his day special" with the trucks, a gift, photos and shot videos of the high school lineup.

"Suffolk County Legislator Rudy Sunderman came. And so many community members. I counted 88 vehicles before I got distracted. Some said hundreds. Throughout all the videos I’ve seen, you can hear Keith yelling, 'Thank you! I love you!' Keith said it was an amazing, fantastic birthday — the best day ever! Which I consider no small feat at this time in our lives."

And it's not the first time community members have opened their hearts for Keith: Earlier this year, they wrote more than 4,000 letters to help him be chosen to attend a taping of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show."

Keith's can-do spirit has been instilled by a mother who's always taught her son to reach for the stars. "Someone we know does woodworking, and made him a wood carving that says, 'There's no 'dis' in my ability,'" she said. "He loved that so much." When faced with some who doubted his ability to soar, Caputo has said simply: "Why can't he? All you can do is try the best you can."

Caputo, who also has a daughter, Briana and another son, James, said from the start, the community has embraced Keith and his efforts. "People were very accepting of him, which was a great thing," she said. "He's always been very personable, very friendly. He is always happy. We had a man at a Chinese auction we organized say, 'I've got to tell you, every time I see Keith, I walk away feeling happy.' You can't ask for more than that."