Strangers befriend man with down syndrome after mom writes touching post asking for help

A Missouri mum's post went viral after she offered to pay to find a friend for her son who has Down syndrome.

Donna Herter's request was met with an outpouring of support for her 24-year-old son, Christian Bowers.

In her Facebook message, Donna said she was looking for a young man, similar in age to her son, to play video games with him for a two-hour session twice a month.

She added that she was willing to pay $80 every two hours and explained that Christian obviously wouldn't be aware of the transaction.

"I'm looking for a young man, between the ages of 20-28 who would like to make some extra money," Herter wrote on her social platform.

"Two days a month for two hours, I'll pay you to be my son's friend. All you have to do is sit with him and play video games in his room. Nothing else," she continued.

Donna said that she resorted to such desperate measures as Christian doesn't have many friends.

"He's 24 and has Down Syndrome and doesn't have any friends his age," she continued.

She then wrote: "You will not be alone with him, myself or his grandpa will be home. Obviously, he won't know you are getting paid, but that you are there for him those 2 days. The pay is $80 for 2 hours."

Herter's post has reached nearly 60,000 shares and more than 26,000 comments, People reported.

But what the mum didn't anticipate is that many responded to her message offering to meet Christian and spend time with him without expecting anything in return.

She also received messages from outside the US as well, including from Australia and the UK.

Christian received some presents to up his video gaming sessions, courtesy of St. Louis nonprofit STL Youth Sports Outreach.

Founder Billy Mayhall, together with other donors, responded to Herter's appeal by gifting her son a 65-inch flat-screen TV, a new TV stand, a wireless sound bar, St. Louis Blues tickets and snacks for his gaming afternoons.

Mayhall said that kids with special needs deserve friendships just like everyone else, and hopes that people will begin to take more notice of their needs.

"People now are starting to see a lot of these kids with special needs need somebody in life," he told KMOV, "just like we do, no different."

Herter said that she was overwhelmed by the kindness of strangers and Christian was certainly thrilled with his new TV, saying: "It's big! It's like heaven."