“Once I walked into that door and I realised that this is the Power Rangers party that I’d been promised, it just brought out that little kid again. It was amazing.”
A birthday celebration 16 years in the making has gone viral on TikTok for its wholesome Power Rangers theme and for proving that good things can come to those who wait.
Elbert Jean was the center of attention at a surprise Power Rangers–themed birthday party — to celebrate his 21st birthday.
“He was so obsessed with Power Rangers that we became obsessed with Power Rangers,” Elbert’s sister Alexandra Jean told BuzzFeed News.
“We used to bribe him. We used to say, ‘Elbert, do this for us, and we’ll get you a Power Rangers party.’ Or, ‘Don’t tell on us and we’re going to throw a Power Rangers party,’” explained Alexandra, who was the mastermind behind the celebration and creator of the viral TikTok.
The viral celebration was hosted by his four older sisters, who pulled all the stops to mark the occasion and follow through on a promise they had been making since Elbert was 5 years old and a huge fan of the superhero television series.
Alexandra told BuzzFeed News that despite the multiple times a deal was struck with Elbert, the youngest of five and only boy, neither she nor her sisters managed to fulfill it, until now.
“It always stayed on my mind. I remember thinking, One day, I’m going to throw this boy a Power Rangers party,” Alexandra said.
The 25-year-old said she had initially considered organizing a barhopping experience with the entire family dressed up as Power Rangers, but when another sister suggested a party, she began planning for a night to remember with some special surprises.
In her viral TikTok, Alexandra shared the lead-up to the moment she and her siblings surprised their brother with a themed party complete with costumes and their cousins, who visited from Boston.
While it may have taken over 16 years to create this moment, Alexandra pointed out that she was only 9 when the deal was initially struck and was therefore limited in what she could do.
For Elbert, the entire moment was worth the wait and a nice surprise for someone who considers their birthday as nothing more than “just another day.”
“It means the world. It’s just like one of those things where I don’t think I could ever repay what they did for me,” Elbert told BuzzFeed News.
“I don’t think back then, when they were making those promises, they knew how much it would mean to me, and I truly believe that if they threw me the party back then, I wouldn’t have had as much fun as I did last weekend,” he said.
The heartwarming gesture was shared on Twitter, where it has been viewed 1.2 million times.
On TikTok, the comment section has been flooded with well-wishes, including a birthday message from actor Walter Emanuel Jones, who is best known for his portrayal of Zack Taylor, the original Black Ranger in the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers series.
“That was literally crazy, beyond my wildest imaginations,” Elbert said.
“Growing up, Power Rangers was my time to get the television uninterrupted,” the superfan said. “Once I walked into that door and I realized that this is the Power Rangers party that I’d been promised, it just brought out that little kid again. It was amazing.”