After 5K+ Letters, Man With Down Syndrome Attends 'Ellen' Taping

CENTER MORICHES, NY —Keith Caputo, 39, is a beloved face in the community, helping all who need a hand: Caputo is founder and board member of the 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization "Helping Makes U Happy," which aims to show how every human is capable of making a difference through volunteering.

But when the community found out that Keith had a dream, to meet Ellen DeGeneres, appear on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show", and dance with her, they came together in a big way to help him. In a huge outpouring of love, family, friends and community member wrote more than 5,000 letters to the show, imploring DeGeneres to bring Keith to Los Angeles, where the show is taped at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank.

And, last week, the dream came true.

While Keith was not able to meet DeGeneres or dance with her, he and his mom Cassy Caputo did get to see the show.

On Feb. 6, Cassy Caputo said, they got a call from a rep at "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" about setting up a Skype session with an associate producer who spoke with them both.

"I told him our local communities know that Keith has had a dream to meet Ellen and we were in the middle of a letter writing campaign to make the dream come true," she said. "I told him to expect a lot of yellow envelopes in the mail," she laughed.

At the same time, Keith was invited to be on the Catholic Faith Network's live telethon on Feb. 8, Caputo said. "A shy fifth grader at Our Lady, Queen of the Apostles Regional Catholic School, Ryan O'Donaghue heard Keith speak to his class about helping others and was inspired to help him reach DeGeneres," she said. The student reached out and helped facilitate Keith's appearance on the telethon.

Others began rallying in any way they could — it's even believed Keith's story was sent to DeGeneres' mother through a family friend — trying to pitch his story during "Random Acts of Kindness Week", with a social media blast meant to reach DeGeneres on Valentine's Day, all in the hopes of sharing Keith's story and dream.

Next, the associate producer called Caputo to say they'd received "boxes and boxes of letters — and asking if Keith and I would be open to coming out to the show on short notice? Not to meet Ellen — but he said that Keith would have a great time," Caputo said.

Last Friday, Caputo and her son were asked if they'd head out to Los Angeles Monday for a Tuesday taping. The duo was flown out to Los Angeles, where they stayed in a hotel and had a driver take them around the City of Angels.

The two were able to attend the taping of three shows.

And, while it wasn't exactly what Keith envisioned, he was able to see the show's DJ and dancer, Stephen "tWitch" Boss, up close and "get a thumb's up from him" for Keith' dancing — between shows, Keith was called out to dance in the aisle "with the whole audience chanting his name," Caputo said.

He was even given his very own "Ellen" T-shirt, Caputo said.

But the biggest take-away from the experience, Caputo said was realization that there was a legion of angels and heroes cheering on her son at home — all told, more than 5,000 letters were written and sent to help him realize his dream.

And, Caputo said, her son may one day get to meet DeGeneres, when the time is right.

"I never say never," she said. "I told him that when you have a dream you don’t give up on it just because it may not happen right away. Sometimes, life takes you in a different direction, one that could ultimately lead you to your dream. Good things come to those that wait. There will be a next time."