Homecoming is a big deal in a young person’s life. After all, it only comes around once. So, both boys and girls try to choose a date with someone they like but also someone they’ll have fun with. At 17, going to Homecoming without a date is difficult.
That’s what happened to Daniel Rivas. Along with hundreds of other teens from high school, he was excited to attend Homecoming. While his future plans include graduating from college and becoming a professional chef, his immediate dreams were to attend the dance with a nice, young girl.
Daniel has special needs
Hailed from Arizona, this young man has Down Syndrome. For him, that made finding a date extra challenging. As hard as he tried, every girl he asked to Homecoming turned him down. They weren’t mean about it but made it clear they weren’t interested in going with him.
This wasn’t just hard on Daniel but also his mom
As a mother, the last thing you want is to see your child in pain. This is especially true when your son has Down Syndrome and all he wants is a date to Homecoming. For Tonya Rivas, she wanted nothing more than to see her son is a tuxedo, dancing the night away at this once-in-a-lifetime event.
Something unexpected and wonderful happened
You see, when Daniel was in the 10th grade, he developed a close friendship with a girl named Kylie Fronius. Somehow, the word that he didn’t have a Homecoming date got back to her and she decided to do something about it. That’s when she put an amazing plan in place.
It was a big surprise
Kylie wanted to keep his data a surprise. So, she headed to his high school with a big banner in hand that read, “Will you be my Homecoming date?” It was all captured on video. You could tell he was shy but he agreed. That followed with a hug between these two friends.
A powerful message
As Kylie puts it, “I don’t think of kids who have a disability, I don’t think of them being different. I think of them as just being a normal person learning in a different way.” This young lady’s kind actions touched Daniel’s mom. Through tears, she expressed her gratitude that Kylie felt prompted to take her son to Homecoming.
What a magical experience
Things for Daniel got even better. After the story broke on social media, one news station got wind of it. They showed up at Daniel’s home with a full camera crew in tow. When the reporter asked Tonya if she was okay, she replied, “I’m just touched. My heart is so happy.” In the background, you see Daniel smiling from ear to ear.
“I hope I can make his night fun”
Those were the words of Kylie. But what the couple didn’t know was that a bigger surprise was yet to be unveiled. The news station was so impressed, they decided to make the night extraordinary. First, a luxury ride picked them up and whisked the two away to Bistro 57 for a fancy dinner.
Second, once at Homecoming, the host, Monica Jackson, took the stage to make an announcement. For a wonderful act of kindness toward her friend, The Surprise Squad was sending Daniel, Kylie, and both families to an all-paid trip to Disneyland.
But wait for it…they also gifted this beautiful girl with a new car. As for Daniel, Las Vegas United Nissan gave him a $10,000 scholarship so he can pursue his career dreams. This just goes to show that with a little bit of kindness, good things come your way.
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