N.J. woman "baffled" by hurtful birthday dessert message at Weehawken restaurant

A New Jersey woman is trying to understand how a shocking message was left on her birthday dessert at a local restaurant.

Antonia Sinibaldi, who is a singer-songwriter, was diagnosed with a cervical spinal injury when she was 2 years old – the result of a car accident involving a drunk driver. She has relied on a motorized wheelchair and ventilator for most of her life.

Back on June 20, Sinibaldi went out with friends and family to celebrate her 29th birthday at Blu On The Hudson in Weehawken.

When it was time for dessert, she was served a message that was far from sweet.

"My cousin and I ordered the same thing," Sinibaldi said.

But on Sinibaldi's plate was written, "Happy Wheel Chair Birthday!" The message stunned the table and the birthday girl.

"It took me by surprise," she said. "I shouldn't be reminded of something that I already know."

Sinibaldi said they called management over for an explanation, but she said things just got worse.

"He offered to send me more drinks, more drinks, more drinks," she said. "What good will that do?"

A spokesperson for Blu On The Hudson sent CBS News New York the following statement:

"We at Blu on the Hudson are aware of the recent video circulating on social media, and we are deeply saddened by what occurred. We sincerely apologize to the guest and to everyone who was hurt or offended by this incident which took place on June 20, 2026. Treating every guest with dignity, respect, and care is fundamental to who we are as a company.

"We want to provide some context regarding what happened, not as an excuse, but to explain how this unfortunate mistake occurred.

"Our standard operating procedure is to use table and seat numbers on tickets to identify where each dish should be delivered. In this instance, the word "wheelchair" was used as a reference to identify where a birthday dessert with a candle should be delivered. Unfortunately, that notation was misunderstood and was written on the plate itself. There was absolutely no malicious or disrespectful intent behind the notation. However, we fully understand how seeing that word written on a plate could be deeply hurtful and upsetting.

"Since the incident, we have reinforced with our team the importance of following proper ticketing and communication procedures and have taken steps to ensure that something like this does not happen again. We have also made an attempt to reach the guest directly to personally apologize, although we have not yet been able to connect with them.

"We understand that an apology cannot undo the hurt or frustration caused by this incident, but we sincerely hope it conveys how deeply sorry we are. Blu on the Hudson is proud to be a part of the Hudson County community, and we are committed to being a place where every guest feels welcomed, respected, and valued.

"We are deeply sorry for this occurrence, have learned from it, and are committed to doing better moving forward."

Sinibaldi says she will never go to Blu On The Hudson again. 

"My family is angry, my friends are angrier, but me, I'm, I am just baffled," Sinibaldi said.

CBS News New York asked Sinibaldi what she would like the owners of the restaurant to know.

"That's a dangerous question," she said, laughing.

While she says it was hurtful, Sinibaldi is hoping the incident is a teaching moment for the restaurant and others.

"Don't bring my disability [up] in every sentence, is what people, they should know," she said.