Honestly, I should be asking myself the same question. How did a bunch of teenagers, young adults, and older friends accomplish this in such a short amount of time, let alone for such a big goal?Allow me to take you through it.
While I (Chey), came up with the idea of the fundraiser, I was uncertain how to execute such an ambitious endeavor the way I was envisioning it. So, I passed the idea along to some close friends of mine to see if it would even be plausible. A lot of long conversations happened, and with this brought a lot of questions."How much can we raise?"
"Are we going to be able to pull this off?"
"How do we get people on board?"
"What should our goal even be?"
"Do we host a stream?"
"Do we do a marathon?"
"It's near the holidays, are we sure?"For every solid answer we had, a million questions followed. One thing was certain though, that we wanted to go for it. As we posted hints towards this gift, we realized a lot more people wanted to partake in giving Tyler the best birthday gift possible.
A group chat of 37 was made, and we devised a plan.
We discussed our goals, and not wanting to shoot too high or too low, we settled on $1,201. (The date of Tyler's birthday). Scared we would not hit that goal, we wanted to give a head start to the donations.The page was finalized and posted publicly on November 3rd, 2022, and within an hour and a half of posting we had smashed our original goal of $1,201.
We were ecstatic, but also concerned. Do we leave it, or do we raise it?
After being pushed by donators, we had raised the donation goal to $2,121. It took less than an hour to break that goal.
Where do you go from there?
The balance between the risk of moving the carrot and being so ambitious it dulls morale was one we wanted to treat with care.
We were content with the idea of already hitting our first two goals, so we shot high. $21,000 it was.On November 4th, by the afternoon we had already raised $5,000, and we had prepped ourselves for a slowdown, but it never did slowdown.The clique joined hands to keep the momentum up.In just over 2 days, we had become the leading event out of 244 for AFSP.Artists were making layouts, were doing customizable doodles, had bigger companies matching us, and selling prints all for donations. Although, that wasn't all. We had hosted spaces with fun games which involved doodles, barking, Tyler impressions, and more to raise money. Our friends would have guessing games and donate money for each person who guessed right. We had a dedicated donation twitter account (@treespositively) where you could donate to the foundation in honor of your friends. Our joke takeovers even became a hit, such as donating making fun of Tyler's shaved head. It became a group effort and project before I could even blink.The clique truly believed in this.On the 5th day we hit $10,000.
On the 8th day we hit $14,000.
On the 11th day we hit $15,000.
On the 13th day we hit $16,000.
On the 18th day we hit $17,000.
On the 20th day we hit $18,000, $19,000, $20,000, $21,000, $22,000, and $23,000.That is a lot of money to comprehend, so let me help you put this into perspective.
21k can fund: 84 youth field advocates, 3 out of the darkness walks, 42 support group facilitators, 21 youth outreach programs, 10 community research programs or 4 college crisis screening programs.
We have 1,358 donations at the time of writing this, and we have on average raised $1,148 a day, with an average donation of $22.84.I also want to stress the importance of small donations during this project. As we went through and added up every $1-$5 donation, we realized they made up $2,175.99 of the fundraiser total. We wouldn't of had that incredible and crazy amount if it weren't for every single "small" donation that came our way. A dollar truly is more than enough.This might not explain the ins and outs of what made people donate, and I don't think we will ever fully understand.I do know though, that we did it. We pushed through with an incredible amount of ambition and drive. We spread the fundraiser like wildfire, which in turn allowed the fire to burn within the clique brighter than ever before.Tyler inspired us to keep living and pushing through every day. He is the embodiment of making it through and looking forward to the accomplishment that is making it to the bitter end, and that has inspired all of us involved with this project.
On December 1st, we are not only celebrating how lucky we are to have Tyler's life in our own but celebrating how lucky we are to be here.
Because of him, we are dedicated to life.
To Tyler,
Thank you for everything. We love you lots. We can't wait to see you again, when you're a little older, and so are we.

In case you are curious, we have made a graph detaling each day in relation to our official goal, and how much money we have raised each day since we launched this project.

• Dear Tyler,
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dear tyler,

i'll grab my light, and go with you.

Dear Tyler,
I've written this letter a thousand times over, wanting to find the perfect balance of what to say and not wanting to miss an opportunity, but I think I am just going to go for it.
First, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I know your "I hate birthdays" joke has its limitations, and I hope today is one of them.
I am not exactly sure where to start. I discovered this band while I was young, and for some reason it has remained consistent throughout my years. I remember the first song I heard, the first award show performance I watched of you guys, and what it felt like to get tickets to see you guys for the first time.
My favorite song has always been Trees. I remember playing it for my parents before dinner and them asking me how such a simple song could be my favorite. I've always been a pretty introspective kid, so my answer was somewhere along the lines of "I like the lack of resolution, looking for something and not disclosing whether or not it was found". Seeing you guys for the first time was an intense and emotional moment for me. There was an infatuation with the stories being told in line, the tears being shed throughout the show, and how a two-piece band was able to impact a room full of thousands of people. It ignited a fire within me that I allowed to guide me. I grew up with the band, and with that, I grew up with the narrative. The idea of being stuck between two places, where you are and where you are supposed to be reflected my outlook on life. I realize that this is a place I am always going to be. Whether that is beyond what I can change and merely my circumstance, it is something I will always be dealing with. I became immersed in this world that slowly became my own. I could project onto these characters and have them represent what I was going through at the time, and that became a crutch for me in my own mental health journey. Tearing apart this story and piecing it together was something that helped me get from point A to point B.
I realize life is hard. It isn't easy, it is not glorious, and it is not something you always want to celebrate. I have been there. You get hit with the daunting questions that haunt us in life like "What's the point," and sometimes you don't have the answer. You talk a lot about what makes a life success and our twisted numerical view of it. You say maybe success is impacting the people you were made to impact and that is it. I hope in your life, when those questions inevitably pop up again, that you can look at us as a collective and know you have impacted each and every one of us. I hope you can look out on this project and see us impact and save lives in honor of you. Our lives are everchanging and it shifts and grows, but this band has always remained constant. This band keeps the world spinning on its axis for me and grounds me when I can't exactly hold my own feet to the floor. We stay because of this music. We push through those moments and only grow closer to the band, and on some days like birthday's, we celebrate our lives. As a thank you for making my 19th birthday the best one I have ever had, here is my gift to you. Thank you for the constant reminder that my life along with many others matter and could not be traded for anything else in this world. Thank you for the virtual hugs, physical hugs, high fives, fist bumps, and happy tears. And for when my feet begin to slip and I brace for the fall beneath me, thank you for your outstretched hand reminding me that I am invaluable. Forever ode to you and this band. Thank you for letting us get to know you.
Love, Chey.

- happy birthday old man. can't believe i've been celebrating your birthday for almost 9 years now. i don't really know where to begin in this letter, other than to say thank you. thank you for everything. your songs, lyrics, and overall importance in all of our lives. you probably hear this a lot but i wouldn't be here without you or this band. this band has given me my first tattoo, countless memories and friendships i will cherish for the rest of my life. from 9 years old, i've grown up with this band and i never plan to stop growing with you guys - even until josh is too old to do the backflip off the piano. i hope this birthday present is the best one you've ever received, cause i'm not really sure how we're going to top this next year, a huge thanks to chey, and everyone who donated and made this all possible.
as always, with the most love
- nico / @lsolatedtrack

hello ! my name is Lydia , I’m 21 and I’m from the uk. I’ve been a fan since 2015 , and saw you first in February 2016.
Twenty one pilots has been a backbone of my life ever since I first heard holding onto you back in 2015. Never in a million years did I think that it would have developed into the life I have today because of your music and your band. I have a completely different view on life, especially the way I view my own mind and my mental health. I struggle and have struggled with a stutter since I was able to speak , and that lead into anxiety for me later on in life. One thing I found that helped was listening to music , and I frequently found myself listening to your music in my earphones whilst I tried to speak to people, which for some reason distracted my mind and made me less likely to struggle with my words. Then moving forward , finding myself at your live shows singing those same lyrics without a care in the word was completely live changing. I’m now out of speech therapy completely and the stutter is a lot less prominent. Your band has also helped me immensely in developing my relationships with those around me. Through me following your band, my dad has developed a love for twenty one pilots too. He has come with me to all but one of the shows I’ve been to, and he was at camden assembly with me back in June (which was fantastic, by the way). I never really had anything specific to bond with him about but both of us loving your music has changed my life and the way we interact. We sit up late at night for new music / music video releases, we update eachother on everything new you guys are doing, and we go to shows together. It is something so special I can never thank you enough for.
I have also developed friendships for life through this band. My small group of friends I have made, we call ourselves Tyler’s nerds, is ALL because of the cinema experience and our twitter accounts, we met there for the first time, spent the week together during takeover London, and we’ve met three times since. And we’re planning to meet-up for Christmas too ! They are friends for life and I truly love them like I’ve known them since I was little. And it’s all because of you and the music that I’ve gotten to know them. I hope you enjoy the gift chey and the rest of us have created for you. Suicide prevention and mental health is something immensely important for me as a psychology student and it makes me so emotional to watch the donations rise, and to see all the messages that come with the donations too is truly inspirational. We hope you feel involved in the process as this happens and we hope you know that this donation made in your name is going to help so many people. Just like you’ve helped us. Thank you for being a force of inspiration in my life that will never falter, fade, or disappear.Lydia (@llocaldema on twitter)

this is the seventh birthday of yours that i celebrate, happy birthday!
Each year that passes is a reminder of how much i’ve grown with you, with your music by my side, and i couldn’t be more happier. Your music found me during a really dark period, and it felt as if you, and josh, were the only people that understood me, that truly got how i felt. Each and every song, every melody, every verse was telling me “hey, we see you, we get you, you’ll be alright, we’re here with you” and i couldn’t be more grateful. How cliché is to say You saved my life, but it’s true. You made me move forward, you made me believe it was worth fighting, for the people around me but most importantly for myself.
So i wanted to thank you, thank you for being so vulnerable, so open with us, for showing us we are not alone, that we have someone ready with a reaching hand there for us. Thank you for being you, for what you do for us, for bullying us sometimes even. The respect and the trust i have for you is immense, and so is the love, for your music, for the band, for you.
So happy birthday, and even though i know you don’t really like them, i’ll look forward to celebrate all your next birthdays with you, with your music, with josh, but most importantly, with the clique, with the friends you helped me meet, with the people i love most.
And thank you, and i’ll thank you again and again for as long as your music will remain with me.
I’ll stay alive now and forever
From Italy with love,
Alice |-/
@beatsachemical

Tyler,
I know that you and Josh constantly see and hear words of genuine and heartfelt thanks from fans the
world over time and time again. Well, go ahead and add this one to the ever-growing pile of accolades
and praise because I must take this opportunity to express my appreciation of you.
Your writing was the answer to a question I didn’t even know I had. The music caught my attention but
as I listened to the lyrics it felt like I was beginning to unlock a room in my brain I’d never let anyone
know existed. I’d almost succeeded in hiding that part of me from myself. The pain and struggles I’d
dealt with internally throughout my life were able to escape via your words from the speakers into the
world. The ferocious intensity of which you conveyed this message was met with the realization that
there would be no safe harbor for my demons any longer. It correlated with the realization my
experience may have been unique but the way I felt was not. The more I learned about you guys and
what you stand for, how you treat your fans, how you treasure those close to you and how you battle
your own demons created an invisible bond between us.
I could go on and on about how much this music has saved me, about how your words drew out my
voice but I will condense it down to this. Thank you for sharing your struggles with us. Your ability to
express your inner struggle has gifted so many of us with the help we needed to start fighting through
darkness towards light.
I’m honored to be part of the Trees Project because of the impact it will have on those struggling in their
own dark forest. We are here to amplify that softest echo into a crescendo of sound to draw those in
darkness towards their bright future. I’m proud we are dedicating our efforts here to you as I’m
confident you may consider this as one of the highlights of not only your career, but maybe your life.
You’ve created a movement in a fanbase unlike any other and we hear you. We hear each other.
Together, we are shattering the silence around mental health and suicide awareness in an extraordinary
effort that will save lives. I can’t think of a better way to express our appreciation for you. Happy
birthday Tyler! I wish us all many, many more years of this experience together.
-Adam Nenne // @adamnenne on Twitter.

happy birthday Tyler!
I want to say thank you for being born your music and concerts have helped me so much in my life I wouldn't be here without them. I have been a fan since 2016 and because of you guys I have met so many amazing people and last year during takeover tour my best friend died in a car accident it was and still is the hardest thing , I went to camp in Boston and that was the best 8 days of 2021 I can never thank you more enough just making music. happy birthdayfrom Kaycee ♥️
(kaycee101_)

tyler, i don’t even know where to start. i know you hear this so much, but your music saved me. i’ve been through my fair share of struggles in life, losing friends, losing family members, and every time your music was there for me to fall on. without your music i don’t know how i would’ve gotten through life. going to your concerts and just being able to be in a room with so many people i know have been through exactly what i’ve been through is so healing. and it’s all because of you and your music. i hope to be able to tell you this in person one day, but i want to thank you. from the bottom of my heart thank you. thank you for creating a safe space for so many people. i hope you have a wonderful birthday, you deserve that and so much more- isabella

Happy birthday Ty!
You don’t know me and I will never have the chance to meet you, but you and Josh mean the world to me. How many times did you hear that? Maybe I’m so obvious but it’s the truth. You have a complex world in your mind and many of us has similar thoughts; but you managed to find a way to create art. You save our lives by saving yourself. And this is the power of twenty one pilots.
Thank you for sharing your darkness, your brightness. Thank you for the time, the patience and the energy you spend for us.
Hope to see you in another concert in Italy, but for now I wish you a good rest!! <3
PS i swear i dont smell
Valeria

Happy birthday Tyler. I am writing this letter just a few days before submitting my application to my dream university. I wanted to thank you for everything because you have undoubtedly given me the strength to get through some of my toughest days. I started listening to your music at the start of 8th grade and now I’m graduating this year. Something that you said (which I have harbored over years is this) : ‘music seems to hold everything together. it seems to make things not so chaotic sometimes. it seems to make things make more sense sometimes." Your words mean so much to me so I want to tell you how your music has brought more value to my life. Whenever I feel defeated, I know I can turn to your music to help me push through. Whenever I feel joy, your music usually plays while I dance around my room. Your music has helped me feel less alone and has consistently provided me with hope. This year was tough for me but I got to see you live for the first time in London. Although I live quite far away, I somehow managed to make it to the show, which is something I held onto throughout this year. I’m so glad I managed to make it. I needed that show more than ever, thank you for making me feel safe at home. That was unarguably one of the best days of my life. You are a light in my life and I will always be grateful for you. As I apply to my dream school, I remember all the times your music has helped me persevere through high school. Thank you for inspiring me to keep going, you are one of my biggest inspirations. It is so special that I have met some of the loveliest people ever through our shared love for the band. Your music will forever be a part of my life, and the world is so lucky to have someone like you. You’re the best. As a writer who has been stuck in a super long writer's block, I hope that after I graduate I will be able to write again. I am certain your words will help me flourish back into a writer because you talking about creating has helped me get out of writer's block before. Thank you for inspiring me to create. I hope you have the best year ever. I am super proud of you and love you loads. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.Mariama <3 ( @mulberrymari on twitter)

Dear Tyler,
Thank you. You gave me the best experience with music I've ever had. You are the reason I have some of my closest friends. When all I could feel was darkness, you brought me light. I was 10 when I first heard Tear In My Heart, and I've never been the same. You probably don't remember, but at the Philly show of the Icy tour, you told us we inspired you to write music. Those words are burned into my memory so much because until then, it was YOU that inspired ME. Your words inspire me to continue. The games you play with us and the story that has developed inspired me to hang on, just for a bit more, so I could see how everything concludes. I found you in the darkest part of my life, and can confidently say you brought me back to the happiness I've longed for. I cannot wait to see you again. ❤with all my heart,
julia

Tyler-
Happy Birthday! Damn you’re old! Just kidding. Look how far you’ve come! It’s so cool to grow older with this band. Also you have a really cool fan base. It makes me emotional to think I belong to such an amazing group of people. I’ve found so many amazing friends through this band who understand me like no one has before. Chey has done a really good job organizing this fundraiser for your birthday. They bring together this fanbase when it sometimes feels impossible. Part of the project was not just donating to the American Foundation for Suicide Awareness, but also writing letters and submitting art for you too (Little known fact, we like celebrating your birthday, even if you don’t care :) ) I just wanted to write to you to share how much of an impact you’ve had on me. There’s a lot, lol. But I’ll just share two today:
As a songwriter.
I’ve been into music since I was born - literally, my aunt said I hummed “on pitch” as a baby. I’ve been writing songs since I was a kid too. But it wasn’t until I heard your music, your writing, that I started to understand the importance and benefits that song-writing could have for me. You showed me it was okay to say uncomfortable truths - especially about my mental health and my faith. One day I was struggling to write a song. I just could not get the right words out. I started to think “What would Tyler do?” and I thought about how you said you started rapping out of a need to fit more words into a song. Immediately, I was opposed to the idea of me writing a rap. I am NOT a rapper lol. But the idea kept pestering me. I kept resisting until finally I decided to just go for it. I didn't have to show anyone anyways, right? I spent 30 minutes on this thing. I think my family thought I was crazy. But I did it! You will certainly not be hearing about Emily the rapper anytime soon (or ever), but I discovered it was a great exercise in getting the lyrics I wanted to say out that I didn't have the guts to write. I still use that exercise from time to time, and more of your influence in my own writing.
I want to thank you (and Jenna) for sharing your journey as a parent with us. Not only does it show that you care about us as fans and want to share your life with us, but more importantly it shows people like me a little hope. When struggling with anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, etc, there are a LOT of things that feel impossible. A career, school, marriage, getting a house, I don’t know you name it. But the biggest, most impossible thing (at least for me) has been parenthood. I can convince myself that maybe one day I can do most things, but parenthood just feels out of reach, even though it's what I want most. I mean, if I can’t get out of bed to go to my classes or make my doctors appointments on time, how can I care for a child? Now I’m only 19, so obviously I have a lot of life left to experience and lots of time before I’ll be a parent, but it's still scary! I’m getting to that point in my life where I have to start actually being an adult, but I still feel 17 half of the time! But seeing someone share their struggles with mental health and suicidal thoughts and then become a parent is something I can’t even begin to explain the impact of. Seeing you become a parent helped me realize that what I thought I couldn’t do, actually might be possible. I thought “well if Tyler can do it, if Tyler can push through and live to moments like these, then I can do that too.” Because truly, I want to be a mom more than anything. At this point in my life, I don’t know much of who I am or what I want, but I do know I’m meant to be a parent. So thanks for showing me it's possible.
It’s possible to live on, to learn, to change, to grow old. It’s all possible. So, happy birthday weirdo. I wish you rest and comfort on this day. A comfort in knowing that you are enough. It may not always feel like it - we like to see our faults more than our good - but you have impacted at least one person. A girl who has been listening to you since 13 and now is almost 20 later this month. (December birthdays yeah yeah!) And it means the world to her that someone showed her it’s worth it to stay alive all this time, even if it's just to figure out the mystery of why people love living so much. Happy birthday, dude. Love ya.
<3 Emily
19 (almost 20 on Dec 31)
Greenville, South Carolina
Twitter: @mourningssun

First of all happy birthday tyler :)
Im sure you’ve seen what an amazing project the clique has set up to help people celebrate life again on a day where we celebrate your life.
So because of this project I wanted to write down and thank you for what you have done for me personally.
Whether that be getting into art or your music helping me deal with the things im dealing with you’ve inspired me so so much along the years.
Happy 34th birthday tyler, I hope you have an amazing day and that this present from the clique to you will be something you can look back proudly any day🫶
- vera

Happy birthday Tyler!!! I hope you have an amazing day :) I want you to know how much you mean to me and the entire clique. You've helped so many people including myself figure out their feelings and find themselves through music. I really hope you enjoy your art!!
Thank you so much and I love you.- Nina (@Trenchisdead)

dear tyler,
happy birthday! i know these things aren’t the most comfortable to celebrate sometimes, but you helped me through 7 of my own so i can’t just let yours slide by (sorry dude!). you and josh most definitely hear this all the time, but you both mean so much to so many people. i’m beyond grateful to say i’ve experienced so, SO many wonderful things and grown into who i am today because of you and your music. when i was fourteen years old on january 20th of 2017, i went to my first twenty one pilots concert. it had been my first show in any pit ever, and i was beyond terrified. i ended up making friends with a big group of kids on the line and we stuck together near the barricade throughout the whole show. they were mostly older and taller than i was, but all five of them made sure i was safe and having a good time. we don’t talk anymore, and our friendships with one another were brief, but the fact that they had helped me and protected me that night despite meeting me less than three hours prior, has stuck with me ever since. i’m forever grateful for you and josh making such an effort to create a comfortable environment like that. i’ve been to six more shows since 2017, and at every single one i have felt nothing but an overwhelming sense of security and togetherness. the clique has certainly had its ups and downs, but it’s because of YOU that we stick together and protect each other. i’m rambling on and on now, but my main point is that i and all of the clique, your clique, appreciate you more than anything. it’s cheesy to say but you and josh have been a comfort to me like i have never known, and i want to thank you for letting us know you feel that way about us too (even if it’s through insults like calling us “slimes” or saying you don’t care about our birthdays). i and the rest of the clique are here for you always. happy birthday, ty. it’s been a pleasure growing with you :)
- emma (@sahlofolemma)

Dear Tyler,
I wasn't even sure I was going to write anything out because I wouldn't even know what to say. But then I thought of all the others who wanted you to know how much you mean to us and I decided I did want to say happy birthday personally. If you so happen to see this.
Happy birthday, Tyler.. I hope each year brings you more happiness and more love. You deserve it. You've helped myself and many others throughout these years. Im happy I've found a group of friends who are just as passionate about your music as me. Seeing everyone come together as a whole and donate to something so wonderful and share so much love and compassion for one another.. My past self would be so happy to know we've made it this far..
Again, thank you for being you and I hope your day was beautiful. Wishing your family a wonderful Christmas and a happy new year!
Happy Birthday,
All the love,
Annie <3 @ghostamongous

Happy Birthday Tyler! I want to start by just saying thank you. Thank you for all of your art, stories, messages, humour, vulnerability and metaphoric insights you have shared with the world. I found your music as most might've through Stressed Out. I was on an exchange trip in Germany, and the song was chosen as one to be played at the weird party we had at the school on the last day. I was a little stressed out and homesick at the time. I slowly uncovered more of your music, and I liked it, a lot, and how it resonated. But then it was the mysteries, the stories you crafted, that I am still so amazed by, even though at the time the Blurryface persona was all there really was The sheer levels of genius connecting lyrics, music, costumes, videos, little hints and links and images and, as a storyteller myself, it's just so inspiring. I can't wait to see where the story of your albums goes next!
I was lucky enough to join the clique just towards the end of the Blurryface era, and lucky enough to experience the build up to Trech, and then to attend a Complete Diversion, and then see you twice, once in 2019, once earlier this year at the Wembley Arena. Car Radio was a song I shared with my class in music lessons, and it was so rewarding the first time I experienced it live, when you appeared up on the balcony in Brixton, only metres from me, and your eyes scanned over the crowd up there, and I felt such a powerful connection in that moment, yellow tape around my arm gifted by a fellow fan in the line outside. You repeated that again the first time at Wembley, when as you were walking off stage between songs, you looked up and saw my Bandito flag and smiled.
I hope one day to be able to express my gratitude and astonishment at your ability with you in person.
Thank you,
Harvey Hamer

Hello,
I’m not sure if you’re going to read this, given the million messages you are going to be
getting, but here is mine.
The party started over a decade ago and I was oblivious to it until about half a year ago.
There truly isn’t any way I can describe how finding my way to this clique is changing
my life.
It happened so quickly.
You have heard it and you probably still hear it a lot, people telling you your lyrics saved
their lives. I wish I could say the same. I wish I’d had them back then, in my deepest
darkest times; those people truly are the luckiest.
However, what you’ve given me.
Right when I thought my will to make music was dead, you came around and brought it
back to me again. I find myself relishing this obsession and being almost consumed by
its revived flame. It’s a way to shift, focus and redirect my negative energies to hopefully
make something worth it.
I have eaten up all of you guys’ records in these months, drinking every note and
savoring every lyric.
Lately I’ve been listening to No Phun Intended, thinking of you playing, wondering how
these songs were created; that’s what’s inspiring and fueling me and it gets me writing
relentlessly.
I wish I could meet you, look you in the eyes and say these things to you. My eyes could
probably communicate more than I can fit into this letter.
Isn’t it amazing how powerful we are as a whole? I am incredibly proud of us for what we
have achieved with this fundraiser and I am grateful I could get to be a part of it.
In hopes that this makes you proud of us too, in hopes that this helps people just like
your lyrics do, I wish you the happiest of birthdays.
- Ayna (@the_halfmonster)

happy birthday tyler :) you probably hear this tons, but you and your music have helped me insanely through so much. because of you, i was able to continue dancing and doing what i love, i was able to make amazing close friends and in fact, i met my bestest friend because of your music <3 thank you for everything. hope you have a great birthday and rest well for the holidays!twitter: @ffadorestylerj

Dear Layer Lord, Slimeball, Togg with two G's, favourite leadsinger, twitter volcano - today is thursday and because thursday's can be pretty nice once a year, i wanted to take the opportunity and write you some lines.
Honestly i don't know where to begin with and how to put all of my thoughts into a letter but i want you to know how thankful i am and how special you are.
You taught me so many things, you bring so much joy, happiness and light into my life, you offered me a place where i can be me, you introduced me to so many kind and supportive people - without you i would have missed so many moments in my life where i felt free, comfortable, home and in peace with myself.
Thank you. So so much Tyler. You are a wonderful person with such a big heart and an open mind, you are an amazing dad, soo overwhelmed with talent, a loyal best friend and my anchor for so so many years now.
Once again, thank you for everything.
Happy birthday Tyler, have an amazing day today and celebrate life.
I'm proud of you. Lots of love, Tanja @tanjaroo25

Tyler,
happy 34th birthday dude!
within your short time on earth so far you have managed to do so much, to succeed in what you set out to achieve. You have an incredible career, friends and family that I expect care deeply for you, and you are now a father to two beautiful daughters; that in itself is inspiring, it’s hopeful for young people like myself, so many of us struggling, to see that it can be possible, life is tough but it doesn’t mean that good can’t come, and that trying is pointless.
As much as it may be hard to believe, and hard to take in exactly what you have done for so many people, it’s true, and it’s real, and those who you have impacted want you to know just how you have helped them.
This idea of celebrating life, celebrating still being here and being able to appreciate everything, the small things, and the bigger ones. You make sure to remind people of why life is worth living.
you know me for my art and for being occasionally funny online (i hope you think so, anyway). I am so very grateful for your support, but, like I wrote in the letter I got to you at the London shows (the best week of my life, might I add), the support I have received from you runs further than just what you are aware of.
The support from your music, lyrics, your words, things said in shows and interviews, for so many years, has been unmatched; I genuinely don’t think I would have gotten through my teens without yourself, this band, the music, and this community of people I have found myself wrapped up in. I got lucky.
I may not be American, but I have plenty of dear friends who are, most of whom I have met through your band. Helping to raise money for American suicide prevention has become very important to me; knowing my friends and what they have been through, being inspired by their stories, acknowledging my own understanding and experience with and surrounding suicidal ideation, and stepping up to potentially help others going through tough times has, in turn, helped and encouraged me.
More importantly, there are people out there that this foundation is reaching partially thanks to all of the donators and sharers within this community, in your name (because we wouldn’t have come together without your band).
So, the happiest of birthdays man, you are amazing, thank you, I know I speak for everyone when I say I absolutely cannot wait to see what is next from you and josh.
This community is a family that I feel lucky to be a part of.
blessings to you and your family,
Ava ( @grapefantava on twitter)

Dear Tyler,
Today is November 23 and we just surpassed our goal of 21k. As a collective, we raised more than $21k for suicide prevention. On days like these, this project means the world to me, it's given me a sense of purpose during days that have been incredibly hard to go through. Knowing that my friends and I managed to contribute to suicide prevention in such an impactful way, helps me find hope and helps me keep going. And this is all due to you, you have been my biggest inspiration ever since I watched the holding on to you music video in 2015. Every time I find it challenging to be alive, I find myself going back to your music and feeling an immense sense of comfort and purpose. This past year I have met some of my best friends, people I never would have met if it wasn't for you, your music and the community you've created. So all I can really say is thank you, not just to you but to:
To Tyler's Nerds: Thank you for being the best friends I ever could have asked for, you guys keep me going
To Tyler's Bday Bash Groupchat: I love you all endlessly and I'm so proud of what we've achieved, you're all so inspiring to me
To Chey: Thank you for letting me be a part of this project and for being a beam of light in this community
and finally, to you Tyler,
hank you for the friends, thank you for the memories, thank you for the inspiration and most importantly: Thank you for saving my life.
Happy Birthday, I love you endlessly.
With all the Love I have within me,Reen aka @NOCHNCES

So, I wanted to say that the Trees Project means so much to me. Especially because when I was in my darkest time I didn't know that there were organizations and people out there that wanted to help me. I didn't know that, I felt so alone through everything and I want people to know that they aren't alone. No one is alone. You might be lonely, but that is genuinly different that being alone. I want to send everyone a hug, if you need it, and you feel like you might need more, take as much hugs as you want from me. They are gifts from me to you, this goes to Tyler to. Happy Birthday Tyler, even if you might hate birthdays, I hope you can like this one. As Chey once said, "Don't be afraid to reach out to people"
Stay alive <3
From one clikkie to another

to tyler “our words are loud but now i’m talking action” joseph,
you have one hell of a fanbase, you know.
no happy birthdays yet, just wait till the end.
i feel as if i have so many words to say to you and not enough characters, so bear with me.
i found you and josh and your music after the release of vessel, i was 11 years old and struggling with problems at home, problems at school, problems with myself. vessel gave me guns for hands, fake you out, truce, and trees, songs with lines that saved my life at the time and for many years to come. and let me just say, i was so overjoyed the two of you found success with blurryface. self titled, regional at best and vessel tethered me to reality. and then blurryface did, too, and trench, and scaled and icy.
the impact you’ve made on people- and i know you love to deny and humble yourself at things like this- is immeasurable. you’ve been told for years that you saved lives, and you refute with “you had it in you all along”. while that’s true, your strength, your courage, your determination to stay alive throughout every trial and error in your life from even before you started making music, before you were apart of twenty one pilots, is invaluable.
you saved lives. you saved mine, if it counts. every single one of your records did, from no phun intended to scaled and icy. the clancy letters, the dema story, your tweets, inspirational messages- everything. on a bad day, jenna shaved your head and chey and i talked about it for days. little things turn it all around for me, so you can imagine just how much grand gestures and your music have meant to me all of this time.
i followed you guys around for a few shows this past tour, spent some time with some amazing friends you brought me. chey, jack, will, cora, anie, kip, in st. paul, to cincinnati, to pittsburgh. right after i got home, i experienced some of the worst heartache i’ve had in my entire life. i had to pick myself back up and instead of doing it alone, you and josh were right there with me, and so was the amazing community your music created.
in early september, i got a tattoo based on a line from one of the songs on trench, the hype. ‘it might take some friends and a warmer shirt, but you don’t get thick skin without getting burned’. you played this song during the campfire set after i used it as a crutch for so long and the first time i heard it live, i cried in the arms of my friends i made online- people i consider my family thanks to you.
i seriously hope you know just how much of an impact you’ve made on these people over the years, and know just how long it’s been growing up with you.
i know the next time we see each other we’ll be just a little bit older, but i’m so excited to celebrate being alive with you again, with my best friends on the road, with new music to hold onto for dear life. i have such a big spot in my heart for you and your story and your progress as a human. you’ve come so far and getting to see that and be a part of that journey reminds me of just how fast time flies, just how temporary we are. but you, tyler, i’m so lucky to have been in this lifetime with you and josh and the friends you both brought me- there just aren’t words to describe how grateful i am. i don’t know how often you hear it, but i’m proud of you. thank you for being you.
so as you take another trip around the sun, surrounded by the ones who love you, hug them extra tight. a world with you in it has been a world blessed with an amazing light that no one else will ever be able to replicate. we wanted to make this project and this campaign because we know and understand. all of those people whose lives are about to change from this fundraiser will be impacted by people you impacted and i am just so proud and grateful that we did this, even if you never see it or acknowledge it. the clique, your clique, raised over 21,000 dollars for suicide prevention, a message you’ve passed along and based your career off of over the years. i wonder sometimes just how proud you’d be, how meaningful it must be for you.
thank you for changing our lives the way you did. thank you for helping us find the courage to stay alive when nothing else did, when nothing else could help.
stay alive tyler, so will we. truce.love, bo @dmasbest

to tyler,
truthfully, i don’t even know where to begin. i’ve never been the best at expressing my emotions, that’s why music is so important to me. it puts emotions that i feel into words when all i’ve got is a jumbled mess in my head.
when i first heard your music i was 8 years old. it was late 2011 and my cousin had gotten her hands on regional at best somehow and she wanted me to hear it. even at eight years old, i felt comfort in the lyrics that were written. i grew up and continued to struggle, and you and your music continued to be right there for me to lean on when the world was becoming too consuming.
fast forward to now. i’m 19 years old, an age that back then seemed so out of the realm of possibilities for me. but i’m here. and i’m so glad i am. if it weren’t for you, if i hadn’t gotten this far, i wouldn’t have met my family. you helped bring me to the very people who make me feel just as seen as you do.
i wish i could organize every thought i have about how meaningful you are and write it out. you have been my biggest inspiration ever since i was that 8 year old kid in my cousins car, listening and hanging on to every word on that record. i like to think that even without actually knowing, i knew just how impactful you would be on me back then. i knew i had to pay close attention and make sure i keep up with you guys for as long as possible. i still haven’t given up on that, and i don’t ever plan to.
you’ve helped me find some sort of purpose in my life. i’m convinced that if i never would have listened to this band, i would hold myself completely different. that or frankly, i wouldn’t even be here writing this letter.
listening to the band has been the most consistent thing in my life, and it has also been the best thing that has ever happened to me.
i don’t want to thank you for the music, because i’m sure at some point it can be a little repetitive to hear. however, i am going to thank you for being unapologetically you. thank you for pulling through spots that probably felt never ending at the time, and maybe still do. you are so loved and i’m so incredibly grateful to live at the same time as you.
happy birthday tyler, i hope it’s a good one.
love, cora @anxthema

i may be a newer fan compared most of my friends but it doesn't change how grateful i am for y'all. your courage to speak about the things that many are scared to say. and most importantly letting your people resonate with your lyrics. letting people have meaning to something that once wasn't there. putting something into nothing. y'all have saved my life and i'm truly thankful for y'all.
sincerely
caelum @voldsoys on twitter :)

Happy birthday, Tyler! Thank you for the music you’ve created and the memories we, the clique, share with you. Your lyrics has helped me feel seen and has helped me overcome so many of my worries. One of my biggest fears was meeting new people but for the last few years, I have created hundreds of friends because of this band. They help me to keep moving forward, just like you and josh. Thank you for being the biggest inspiration for me and I will be here ‘til the end.
I hope you enjoy some of the art I’ve made for you
- adri @fuckclikkie

Dear Tyler,
First of all, happy birthday !!
There’s so much I’d like to say, but I’ll try to be short. I was 15 when I discovered your music. I remember watching the music video for holding on to you at least 4 times in a row because I was so intrigued by it. And that was when I knew there was something different about your band.
I’m 23 now, and I’ve grown with your music by my side. You’ve helped me through difficult times, but you’ve also helped some of my favorite people and I’m so grateful for it. It’s so hard to see people you love struggling so much with life, and I know your music has been an anchor for them, and I cannot thank you enough for it. Your music, for me, has been a constant source of comfort. You’ve put words on feelings I had and I felt understood for the first time. I admire you so much for baring your soul to us through your songs. You make all of us feel not so alone.
The way you encourage us to always keep creating inspired me to draw again just when I was feeling like maybe I should give up. And it helped me so much. I understood I could use this to express myself, but it’s also been a tool for me to just empty my head, and it’s been so freeing. So thank you. And thank you for all the inspiration you’ve given me through the years.
It’s weird that you have no idea who I am, yet you’ve influenced my life in so many ways. I met my best friends thanks to you. I’ve travelled to other countries. I lived so many incredible moments through your music. The way I feel during your shows is something I’ve experienced nowhere else. I just feel so free, so alive, so at home. I’ve made memories that I’ll cherish forever. 15 years old me would’ve never thought you’d have such a big impact on my life. And 23 years old me can’t wait for what’s to come.
I appreciate you and Josh so much. Thank you.
Have the happiest of birthdays.
Delphine @odetothemoon_

dear tyler,
i just wanted to quickly wish you a happy birthday and show my gratitude. i’m so thankful for your lyrics and the narrative that you push, they’ve made a great impact on myself and also my friends in this community. i wish you could see first-hand the hope and courage people here carry with them as they navigate life. thank you for truly caring.
also if you haven’t already, you should play a small hike, it’s only a few hours long, i have a feeling you’d really enjoy it. nerd.
congrats on the birthday.
katy @myonlyyfriend

to tyler:
i still want to start with a 'thank you' (even though i realize that this is to some extent a repetition of everything that the Clique tells you on a daily basis).
thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to grow up with you and carry on doing this to the present moment. i can't stress enough how valuable you are to me and how much i appreciate that you gave me an implementation of the unconditional love concept. there is simply no other locution that can expalin what i feel towards you (and the band) for more than 5 years now.
thank you for giving it all to the clique and all projects we've been up to. thank you for creating a special space so many people around the world now call 'home'.
sometimes it is easy to give up to sorrowful pattern and maybe now i want to say thank you for your strength and courage. we feel it in our bones too like a bright projection. we will fight with you.
as an individual i might add that i'm immensely grateful for all that support you gave me given the context of clique art. not exactly sure what happened to art prints i brought you during icy tour, but i hope you've enjoyed them even a bit.
and even though happiness seems to be an emotional construct that is unattainable, i hope now you are happy.
can't wait to celebrate life with you with every tomorrow.
yours, roby (@ROBYATBEST)

happy birthday tyler!!
i have so much i could say and so much i could thank you for. i found this band in 2016 at just the right time when my mental health was starting to take a dark turn, and ever since then it has been my source of light and guidance. it has been something i can lean on, these songs have been songs i can listen and relate to when i feel like nothing is left for me. these songs and this band have given me the courage to keep going and fight on even when it feels like all hope is lost . i will never ever forget my first twenty one pilots show. it was 2018 and i went with my friend who introduced me to you guys and it was such a special moment. i remember standing there and looking across the arena to see a sign saying ‘you saved my life’ and tearing up because i knew i was in a room full of people that felt the same way i did, that were impacted by you guys the same way i was and still am. i’ve also introduced my best friend to you guys and it feels so great to continue sharing this music just like it was shared to me when i needed it most. i’m so excited to go with him to his first twenty one pilots show.
to wrap this up, i am eternally grateful for all you have done for me. you have given me courage, determination and above all, hope. hope that things will work out. hope that one day i will look back on this period in my life and be proud of myself for not giving up. i can never thank you enough for that. happy birthday tyler, i hope you have the most wonderful day ever because you truly do deserve it.
- cam (@HDSNELSON)

Dear tyler,
my name is Talia, but my nickname by which everyone knows me, is Bambi, and that's okay. I want to tell you a little bit of my story and why I wanted to help with this project. When I was 14 years old, was when I started to develop that feeling of loneliness, that feeling of wondering 'is there anyone who cares about me', I was too young to start having those kind of feelings, but things started to happen in my home that made me feel more and more alone, friends started to move away from me because they found someone better, I never felt that trust and warmth of such loving parents, I started to hurt myself to release that pain in my chest, at the same time I started to have thoughts to end my life. I suffered in silence and felt so lost for a whole year, then, I discovered your music, read your lyrics, watched interviews, got to know more about you and josh, and then, I felt heard, Twenty One Pilots made that seed of hope grow in my chest, made me, not wanting to die so soon, I felt understood, accompanied, when I felt lost again, your music put me back on the enlightened path. You have been my company for more than 5 years, and I want to stay by your side until the end of my life. I am not going to deny you, the road is still hard, I keep thinking that I would like to stop existing at some point, that I would like not to bother others, but I always remember the heartfelt promise I made to you one lonely night, I promised you that I would not take my own life and I would try to be happy, and I will keep it, for you, for me and for that future I dream of. I am currently a psychology student because I want to help people like you did with me, I want to help them with this fight against their own mind, make them happy, all in honor of you, like this project. Happy birthday tyler, I wish you to be eternally happy with your family and friends, I will be eternally grateful for you and your music. I love you man, thank you for everything. I promise to always honor my tattoo.
Peace will win and fear will lose.
- With much love, bambi.

Hey Mr. Joseph, how are you man?
Happy birthday! Or spawn day. Or hatched the egg day. Or whatever outlandish situation you come up with this year. I hope you've been well, and I hope this project has made you smile. It's a cause we all deeply care about, and we know you do too. Honestly, being a part of this project, helping with Twitter spaces and holding activities to raise donations was an experience I keep close to my heart. I like to think you watched from the sidelines, and I hope you are proud of the community you have created.
You know, we are all so thankful for you. There is a commonality with so many of your fans and that is the fact you put words to how we felt, made it easier to explain. There's also a group of us that found alternatives and coping mechanisms through your words and your storytelling, causing us to be more introspective. I myself found refuge in creating, thanks to your words (create something only you understand). What is crazy to me though is that you've seen my creations, through the years.
I can't describe what it feels like to know you know my art. My way of saying 'thank you' has always been to give back. In this case, it's always been through creating art for you (and Josh too). It's crazy also that you have seen my art progress, how it has changed. And with it, my name. It's a little silly, I will never know if you noticed. but you've seen my journey towards my chosen name, indirectly. It feels like I have grown with you, in a way.
This is also funny when I remember I took a picture with you in phoenix at 2 am after the show. I'm sure you didn't know who I was, and I'm not sure you remember as you looked pretty tired. But if you're curious, there were six of us wearing 'my friend josh' shirts, but I was wearing bright red pants and had (at the time) black curly hair and a party hat. It was a crazy moment for me, also knowing you might have received my prints in an envelope.
It feels scary to let you know you saw me in Phoenix. To let you put a name and face to the art. I figure you already know who i am though, its not much of a difference. I've grown with you after all.
Just like me there are many fans that have grown with you too. They have so many unique experiences with the band, and some of these are reflected in these letters. It feels personal to say we love you, but we really do. We have so much love for you. Theres a connection between us, the band, the music and yourself. I find it beautiful how our stories intertwine.
Let this project be a testament to celebrating life together. A testament to finding comfort in a community to come together like this and fund the necessary tools for those who need them as we did.
I hope these letters brighten up your day, and I also hope you get to read each of them at your own pace. I feel like, we all have a lot to say in such little space.
enjoy your day tyler :) we are all rooting for you and cheering you on.
-Beto, the shape art kid.

a famous actor named alan bennett once said, "the best moments in reading are when you come across something-- a thought, a feeling, a way of looking at things-- that you'd thought special, particular to you. and here it is, set down by someone else, a person you've never met, maybe even someone long dead. and it's as if a hand has come out and taken yours." i think mr. bennett was spot-on when he said this, and its true for much more than just literature. many of us fans fell in love with twenty one pilots because it was the first thing to come out and take our hands.
tyler, even though we may only know you because of the band, we are extremely thankful for your life. you have extended a hand to this gigantic fanbase countless times. you make the world so much brighter for so many people not just by putting on shows, but also by just being here, alive and human. it reminds us that as regular people we are all still capable of doing so much good and being a pillar of light for so many others.
i wish you a wonderful 34th birthday and many wonderful birthdays after this. trust that the clique will be there to celebrate every one.
- jaid :)

dear tyler,
now i know you hate birthdays as much as the other person does but i wanted to wish you a happy birthday. thank you for having such an impact on my life in just this past year of finding you. i just recently went to my first ever tøp concert with an internet friend that i got closer to by discovering you and it was amazing. i felt so alive and at home surrounded by the people who love you just as much as i do. the way you perform is extraordinary and your lyricism is insane. whenever i feel like life is going downhill, like there’s nothing left for me to give, i listen to truce. “the sun will rise and we will try again” those lyrics keep me going everyday, they’re so important to me. so again happy birthday ty thank you for everything you have done for me and the clique. thank you thank you thank you a million times :) enjoy your birthday old man
- megan (@wantyouhome)

Dear Tyler,
It’s funny that we’re celebrating the birth of a man who supposedly doesn’t care about birthdays. That just goes to show how much we truly love and care about you. You deserve every ounce of happiness this world can offer to you. There is a countless number of lives that you’ve impacted, mine included. You once said that you hope we realize that you’ve only provided us the words to help uncover what was already inside of us. I just hope that you realize you’ve done so much more than that. You’ve given so many people a reason to fight their own demons, to discover the courage that was laying deep within all along. The courage to stay alive another day, and the courage to put all of the negative power we have into something else. Eleven years ago I came across these random music videos from this band I hadn’t heard of before. I watched them, and by the end I wanted to scream along with them. I felt heard. I felt understood. It felt as if I had found somebody that knew exactly how I was feeling in that very moment when nobody else knew what I was going through, and how my mind worked. Those music videos were Car Radio and Holding Onto You. I discovered your music at my absolute lowest point in my life at the age of thirteen. I simply did not want to be here any longer, and four minutes and forty-one seconds later, my life had changed forever. Understanding what you were saying in Car Radio made me feel not so alone in this world, and what you said in Holding Onto You made me feel a sense of purpose. Something to live for. At that time, the only reason I wanted to live was for you and this band. I’m twenty-four now and married to my best friend, and I’m so beyond grateful that I came across this music when I did. You’ve had the biggest impact on my life and you continuously inspire me to keep going. This year I went to my first show of yours in Nashville for the Icy Tour. I’ve found somewhere that I belong in this broken world. I’m so happy I got the chance to celebrate life and have my “I made it” moment in the pit with you and Josh. Tyler, thank you for being your wonderfully lovely self and for being a beacon of light for us who were/are lost in this world. You are my biggest inspiration and my favorite person in the world. The love you have for your people never fails to be our motivation to get through each and every day. We love you immensely. Thank you for being you. Happy 34th Birthday Tyler!
With love, Hannah @peachyicycold