Hartland Fifth-Grader Turns 11 on 11-11-11

Every birthday is special, but for fifth-grader Jacob Roach this year is going to be like no other.

Jacob will be turning 11 years old Friday on what is 11-11-11.

“I think it’s really cool that I have such a unique birthday,” Jacob said. “A lot of my friends think it's pretty cool.”

Jacob’s family, which includes parents, Jerry and Amy, and three younger siblings, started a system of classifying birthdays and according to their calculations, this one will be considered a platinum birthday.

“’Cause they’re harder to get,” Jacob’s younger brother, Cameron, clarified.

And the Roach children are right since the next time someone can turn 11-years old on a date of 11-11-11 won’t happen again for another 100 years.

"He was born at 11:57 p.m.," Amy Roach said. "So, three minutes and you would not have been 11-11-11."

“He’s lucky,” said younger sister Amanda.

His mother agrees and says that the number 11 has already followed Jacob through his life starting with the first sports team Jacob ever joined when he was handed a jersey with the number 11 on it.

“It's my lucky number,” admitted Jacob who also agrees with his lucky streak. "A lot of good things happen to me."

This Friday, with the epic date of 11-11-11 has also generated its own Facebook page with engaged couples proudly stating their wedding day plans or 11th year anniversaries highlighted and other birthdays recognized on the symbolically lucky number. Roach says she found the page when she googled the topic of turning 11 on 11-11-11.

"I didn’t know if it was rare or not," Roach said. "It’s kind of interesting though."

Birthday plans for the big event include no school that day, thanks to the Hartland School Distrct already being closed — which Jacob considers a lucky break — and a bonfire/glow-in-the-dark football party with some of his closest friends.

“I thought about having 11 boys over,” Roach said. “But then I was like uh-uh. That was a fleeting thought.”

But for Jacob, he is simply hoping for a day to remember, one spent with his family and friends, enjoying his favorite things.

“I just really want it to be one of the best ones I have,” Jacob said. “That’s all I want.”