BY LAUREN SEPHTON
Spring is in full blossom, announcing that it’s time to get festive. With prom right around the corner, take a few moments to laugh, reminisce, and warm your heart as you read these prom memories.
Leaving Cancer at Home
High school senior, Shelby Butler, has been good friends with the Richards family for her entire life. She was best friends with their older daughter, Julia. Shelby also had a close-knit friendship with Julia’s younger brother, Alex, who was then eight years old. At only four years old, Alex had been diagnosed with T-cell leukemia and experienced multiple chemotherapy treatments, as well as a bone marrow transplant. In March 2015, the cancer returned for a third round.
Not taking another day for granted, Shelby made a special “promposal” to Alex with a series of poster boards to surprise her “superhero.” Alex’s evening was made extra special with a limousine to drive them from their favorite local dining at the Steak’n Shake to prom, in order to dance the night away.
The Princess Promposal
In 2018, Madi Stofflet, a high school student, found out that her boyfriend would not be able to attend their upcoming prom. She decided that instead she would ask her favorite physics student and friend—Amanda, a “special-needs” student. During their class, Madi promposed to Amanda with a poster sign and pink tiaras, since pink was Amanda’s favorite color. Madi wanted Amanda to experience a night like a princess. She also says she wasn’t trying to receive any credit or praise, but simply wanted to take her best friend to prom.
A Llama’s Snack
Summer Reynolds, a high school junior in North Carolina, was more than delighted when her best friend, Daniel, asked her to their upcoming prom. With the abundance of wildflowers and vibrant grass growing all around Summer’s family farm, she offered to have her prom group take photos at her house. However, they were not about to let the moment pass without the chance to have a photoshoot with her beloved farm animals. Summer’s llama, indeed, made a lasting impression, as it began chewing on the back of her lovely gown mid-photo. Uh oh! Luckily, she was able to stop her llama from finishing his mid-day snack before he damaged the dress too badly.
Betty’s Dream Come True…76 years later
In 2017, Connor Campbell made a bold and life-changing decision to take his 93-year-old grandma, Betty Jane Keene, to his junior prom. For over a year, Connor was insistent that his grandma would go to his prom with him, never once regretting or wavering in his decision. When the time came for Grandma Betty to go shopping for her glamorous evening, she decided to treat herself to a lovely pale pink gown from one of her favorite catalogs, which she paired with a light jacket. To complement his grandmother’s decision, Connor decided to gift his grandma with a wrist corsage of pink roses, along with his pink rose boutonniere. In addition, Connor wore a charming pink vest and tie with his black tuxedo. After getting her nails, hair, and makeup done, Betty told Connor that she felt beautiful and quite dressed up for a 93-year-old. After telling over 100 school friends who his date would be, each and every one of them came up to meet the famous Grandma Betty. Grandma Betty and Connor both claimed to have had the best night ever and a heart-warming evening.
If Prom isn’t your thing, consider helping with a special-needs Prom. A few college freshman helped with one last year and said it was an unexpected joy, as it brought many happy faces to some who had missed their Prom that year or in the past.
Prom is a night full of dancing, laughter, and creating memories that’ll last a lifetime. Take lots of photos and enjoy each moment as it comes.
