Photo by Keighla Anderson

After hearing about a member of my family having a birthday party and none of her classmates showing up, I was always terrified that this would happen to me.

There's something so heartbreaking about imagining a child, excitedly waiting in her home, decorated with balloons and streamers, for the doorbell to ring. And, hour upon hour, no one shows.

This, likely, could set the tone for how a child views herself for the rest of her life.

So, what do you do if this happens to your child?

After all the girls invited to her daughter's birthday party either cancelled or failed to RSVP, a Minnesota woman took to social media to rectify this — posting on several community Facebook pages, inviting strangers with children the same age to stop by the party.

ABC News reports that more than 400 people showed up — including Minnesota Vikings player Charles Johnson, characters Elsa and Snoopy from a nearby amusement park, and local firemen.

Mackenzie Moretter, who turned 10 years old last week, is diagnosed with Sotos syndrome, a genetic condition causing physical overgrowth during the first years of life and learning disabilities.

Mackenzie’s mother, Jenny, told ABC News that she hopes her daughter's story encourages tolerance of children who are different.

“I just want people to know they should accept their children for who they are,” she said. “And for kids who see other kids alone, I’d love to encourage them to go say hi and definitely not make fun of them.”