Last year, Hallee Sorenson's 18th birthday party was a disappointment. Her 19th birthday, however, will be something special.

"I'm so floored and very, very grateful," Hallee's mom, Allyson Seel-Sorenson, said Thursday of the overwhelming response to a recent Facebook post asking people to send birthday cards to the Bangor girl this year. "I just can't imagine people would be so caring to someone they don't even know."

As of Thursday morning, more than 55,000 people had shared the original post from Hallee's cousin, Rebecca Lyn, who lives just outside of Boston. The post shows Hallee, who has autism, sitting alone at her birthday party at a local bowling alley last year. None of her classmates or friends showed up to the party, and it was a difficult day for both Hallee and her mom.

Hallee functions at about a 6-year-old level, according to her mom, but Hallee remembers well the disappointment she felt when none of her friends came to help her celebrate.

"I was alone," Hallee recently recalled when she and her mom talked about last year's party.

This year, Hallee won't be alone. There are plans for a family party for her birthday in July, and thousands of people from all over the world are sending cards. Allyson is prepared with a wall map to show where all the cards originated.

There's one more thing we know to be true. Hallee's mail carrier is going to be busy.

You can send a birthday card to Hallee at:

Hallee Sorenson
34 Wellesley Way
Bangor, ME 04401

A side note: Hallee's mom said the management at the Bangor Brewer Lanes was great, refunding most of her money for the party.

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