should I message him? (I know it sounds ridiculous)

I met this guy at a Fourth of July beach party. We instantly clicked. I know that sounds cliche but it's really true. We didn't hook up or even kiss or anything. It was just genuine fun. 

He was in the military so the next day he had to fly back to Cali. Two weeks later I got enough courage to add him on fb. And then he messaged me. We chatted for a while. Then snap chatted. Then texted. Eventually we were facetiming and calling all the time. 

I didn't know it was possible to develop feelings for someone so quickly. Especially someone that you can't physically touch. I always watched catfish and made fun on those people that "fell in love" with someone over text. 

A few months go by and we got into a pretty bad argument. And stopped talking for a while. I pulled away from him. But it still broke my heart and his. About a month later he texted me telling me that he thought about me everyday and that he is in love with me.  I knew it was crazy but I felt the same way. 

Things were great. We had a trip planned to see each other. And future concert tickets. 

All of a sudden he ghosted. My best friend (who he knew) messaged him on fb and told him that it was fucked up basically. They exchanged a bunch of messages and he basically said that he was going through a really shitty time in his life and he was just struggling. He said it wouldn't have been fair to bring me into his life at the moment. That he felt I deserved better. 

He just got out of the military around the time we started talking and was in the middle of a custody battle over his son. Around the time he ghosted he was remodeling his new place and was just starting out at a new job. Adjusting to having his son 50/50. So I mean I get that his life was batshit crazy. But I also get that didn't give him the right to drop me the way he did. 

I had just finished up going through my divorce. So my life was crazy too. 

It sounds ridiculous but I have this gut feeling to tell him happy birthday. 

Just a "happy birthday, I hope your birthday wishes come true!" (We always did the wish upon a star and 11:11 thing) 

No begging or desperate anything. 

It's been months but I still think about him everyday. And I don't think everything he said was bullshit. I think he thinks about me too. It's just this gut feeling but I don't know if I should ignore it or follow through. 

So help please. 😩