Man received hundreds of letters for 80th birthday

Today is a special day for Sikko Smit from Uithuizen. Not only is it his 80th birthday, but he is also receiving well-wishes from hundreds of people after a friend posted his address on Facebook, asking people to send Sikko a letter.

Harm Post from Uithuizen has said on his Facebook page that Sikko has already received four full bags of post with letters saying 'Congratulations!' According to Post, he has also been driven around in a police car, and has had cake and a lot of attention.

The original Facebook post read that Harm Post, an ex-seaman, lives in an assisted living residence, after he had an accident on board a ship. One of his neighbors is called Sikko Smit. He says that Sikko's birthday is on the 3rd of July. He was born in 1934, and will be turning 80 this year.

Sadly, Sikko doesn't have family to come and visit him or send him a card on his special day. The residents of the assisted living home are his family, Post says. "And we want that this birthday becomes unforgettable for our little man. My question is if you want to send a card en masse. Thanks in advance, also from Sikko himself."

Harm has since removed the post, explaining that it got a little bit out of hand with all the press wanting to hear from Sikko. "Everyone wants to talk to Sikko, while he couldn't manage it. But to protect Sikko I removed the post", he further adds that the post was shared more than 18,000 times, and that there are more than 60,000 letters on the way. Sikko's postal address is still available on Harm's Facebook page, but he urges people not to come in person, to preserve his privacy.

From all of us here at NL Times: HAPPY 80th BIRTHDAY Sikko!