Harrison Blanchflower, now 5, was just 3 years old when a rare complication from a virus left him with permanent brain damage

NEED TO KNOW

• Harrison Blanchflower suffered a rare complication from parvovirus B19 at age 3, leaving him unable to walk or talk
• Harrison, now 5, has never been to a birthday party and has trouble making friends due to his condition, according to his mother, Alexandra Blanchflower
• Because of this, Alexandra invited neighbors to celebrate Harrison’s upcoming 6th birthday at their home with waves, bubbles and decorated vehicles — and she said the community’s response has been “amazing”

A boy who became permanently disabled at just 3 years old has never had the chance to experience a typical childhood birthday party — so now his family is asking their community to help make his sixth birthday unforgettable.

Harrison Blanchflower of Luton, England, was in preschool when he contracted parvovirus B19 — a typically mild illness that often causes a low fever and flushed cheeks — in March 2024, according to local news outlet Luton Today.

Shortly after returning home from school and telling his mother he loved her, he went into cardiac arrest — a rare complication of the illness.

He was rushed to Luton and Dunstable Hospital, where doctors restarted his heart before transferring him to the Royal Brompton Hospital in London for specialist care.

Over the following months, Harrison developed pneumonia and gut failure and also suffered a stroke. His parents, Kyle and Alexandra Blanchflower, were told that the brain damage he sustained meant he would likely never walk or talk again.

Now 5, Harrison has spent more than a year back at home after receiving treatment at a neurorehabilitation center. The local community also raised thousands of dollars via a GoFundMe to help the family meet his medical needs.

“He’s been home for over a year now,” Alexandra, 28, said while speaking to Luton Today. “He’s a really happy boy. He loves school. He is doing really well.”

Still, Harrison’s condition has made it difficult for him to enjoy the kinds of milestones many children take for granted.

“Harrison doesn’t have any friends, bless him,” Alexandra said. “He can’t really socialize because of his condition.”

She added, “He can’t go to school parties. He doesn’t have anyone to invite to any birthday parties.”

Wanting to give her son a celebration he’ll never forget, Alexandra has invited members of the community to stop by their street on Sept. 3, Harrison’s 6th birthday, between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.

She’s encouraging people to wave, blow bubbles, play music, bring decorated vehicles or simply wish Harrison a happy birthday as he watches from outside his home.

“I just thought it’d be so nice for Harrison to be able to experience that type of love from other people that he doesn’t really get,” Alexandra said. “I want him to have the best birthday ever.”

The response has already exceeded the family’s expectations.

According to Alexandra, volunteers have offered to bring everything from fire engines and motorcycles to eye-catching cars, while even a Zumba group has said it plans to attend.

“We’ve had such an outpouring of love, and it’s just been amazing,” she said.

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For Alexandra, the event is about more than celebrating another birthday — it’s about creating lasting memories for her son.

“It’s about making new core memories for Harrison. I think that he’ll remember as he grows up and he goes on,” she said.

“I want to be able to continue to make core memories for Harrison to have forever,” she added.

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