An 80th birthday celebration, social distancing style

TONAWANDA, N.Y. (WKBW) — Bobbie Linder of Tonawanda is turning 80.

"She’s worked so hard to get to 80. 80 was her date. She said, 'I have to make it to 80,' and she did," Jeanne Wiles, daughter of Bobbie Linder said. "We’re super excited and super proud of her."

But, COVID-19 and social distancing has forced this family to celebrate in different way.

"We decided to get together, do a parade, and sing for her to wish her a happy birthday," Wiles said.

Wiles and more than 15 other in her family gathered in front of Bobbie Linder's Tonawanda with balloons, signs, and horns. Linder, blew kisses and waved to the group from her door way.

"How blessed and I," she shouted to her family.

Linder has been on dialysis for almost 3 years so her family has been taking her self-quarantine very seriously.

"When we bring groceries over we drop them off in her hallway and then we wave through the window and hold our hands up to the window," Wiles said. " I haven’t hugged her in three weeks and that’s hard."

Wiles says this is the first time her family has gathered together in weeks. And while this wasn’t your traditional birthday party, Linder’s family managed to make her feel so special, even from a distance.

"I'm just one big goosebump," Linder said. "I'm so blessed."