This Desperate Dad’s Search For His Son’s Favorite Cup Will Restore Your Faith In Humanity

See how the Internet is banding together to help a family

Marc Carter’s 14-year-old son, Ben, was born with severe autism, which makes him interact and communicate differently than most teens. 

It’s estimated that 1 in every 68 children is born with autism, and it’s important to understand that while different people have different needs, it doesn’t make them any less amazing: Everyone should be treated with love and respect.

One characteristic of autism is the need for repetition in certain habits. For Ben, he only drinks from one specific cup. “Since the age of 2, he has drunk exclusively from a little blue Tommee Tippee cup,” his dad shared. “Ben hasn’t drunk at school since the age of 5, he doesn’t drink outside of the house so we can’t go anywhere. People say he will drink when he’s thirsty, but two emergency trips with severe dehydration say otherwise.”

Unfortunately, the only cup Ben drinks from was discontinued years ago, and his dad was at a loss for what to do. So, he took to Twitter to share his story:

Enter #TeamInternet. The tweet has since been retweeted nearly 20,000 times! And Tommee Tippee even sent Ben a birthday care package:

Marc was compelled to share an emotional video filled with updates about the love he’s received from all over the globe:

If you think you might have one of these cups around the house, here’s how to identify the correct one:

You can tweet @TommeeTippee_UK with #CupForBen and they’ll make sure it gets to him. So far, they’ve received 300 of the discontinued cups!

It is amazing – Marc’s efforts aren’t only helping his son; they’re spreading awareness about autism, and helping us all remember that love and kindness are all around us! #TeamYSBnow