My friend Michael Henrichsen is having Billy Idol come and play his birthday party. Is Michael super rich? No. Is he super famous? Well, maybe to his friends and family, but no, not really. Really, Michael just had a dream.

One day just before his birthday in 2010, a coworker asked Michael what he wanted for his birthday. Michael answered that he wanted Billy Idol to play his birthday party. Then, he thought, why not? If that was his dream, why not make it happen?

So he set to it. He purchased www.playmybirthdaybillyidol.com and went about finding interesting ways to spread his message. He started attending book signings and asking celebrities to tape messages to Billy Idol, asking him to come play Michael’s birthday. I even once saw him standing on an I-5 overpass on a sunny afternoon, jumping up and down with a Play My Birthday Billy Idol poster. He asked people print posters and put them up wherever they went around the world. He did whatever he could to go viral.

He did this for a year and last October, received the message (from Billy himself) that Billy Idol was otherwise engaged on October 26. But in the message, he said, “There’s always next year…”

With renewed hope, Michael kept pursing his dream. He hosted charity events aptly named Billy Idol Aid. While pursing his own dream, he helped our community. The first one raised $286, Billy Idol Aid 2 raised $1,200 and Billy Idol Aid 3 earned $5,200. Billy Idol Aid 4 was this last weekend, where Michael finally got his answer from Idol himself.

Michael deserved to have his dream come true. He is kind, caring, thoughtful and passionate. He makes you feel that you can dream to. That anything is possible.

And so it is, this October 26, 2012, I will be attending Michael Henrichsen’s birthday party. It just so happens to be at the Showbox SoDo and Billy Idol just so happens to be the headlining act. Michael’s dream is coming true. And I can’t wait to see it. Way to go, Michael. You rock!

 

You can see Michael’s journey here: