Daddy-daughter dances are a special occasion in any little girl’s life. Almost every little girl looks forward to getting dressed up and having a special night with their father. And when the Lady of Humility School in Beach Park, Illinois, announced their daddy-daughter dance, the female students (as expected) were aggressively excited— all except one, that is.
Kindergartener Cayleigh Hinton from Winthrop Harbor had recently lost her father and was still heartbroken over the event. Now, with the daddy-daughter dance on the horizon, she was sad she had nobody to take her.
Cayleigh’s Father, Terrance Hinton, was a sergeant with the Illinois National Guard.
Last May, he passed away during training in Hawaii, when he was the victim of a military truck crash. It happened only 3 weeks after Cayleigh’s fifth birthday.
Terrance Hinton had always been a proud father. He and his wife Jillian often discussed plans for Cayleigh’s future— like daddy-daughter dances— and he had always looked forward to them with excitement and joy.
Although Terrance had always wanted to attend these events with Cayleigh, now that he wasn’t here, Jillian knew he’d still want her to enjoy the moment now.
“He always wants me to be happy,” Cayleigh told CBS Chicago.
When Cayleigh’s mother Jillian heard about her daughter’s upcoming daddy-daughter dance, she decided to phone up the Illinois National Guard to see if anyone could help her daughter.
That’s when an angel appeared in the form of Sergeant Joseph Bierbrodt.
Sergeant Bierbrodt, from Fort Sheridan, is a father of four and first sergeant in the Illinois Amy National Guard. He had never personally met the Hintons, but when he heard Cayleigh’s, he knew he had to help.
“It was something that touched me,” he said. “It’s something I felt had to be done.”
“Military’s a family to me.”
“I consider it a huge honor to be able to do this. We never forget the ones who have left or leave their families unattended.”
Sgt. Bierbrodt volunteered to take Cayleigh to the daddy-daughter dance— and the night of their date, he showed up bearing gifts.
In addition to a bouquet of flowers and a small teddy bear, Sgt. Bierbrodt gave Cayleigh a six-foot stuffed dog he had won for his own children at a theme park. Its name? ‘Sarge’, like her daddy’s job.
“I had to sew it up a bit and clean it, but I think she’ll like it,” he said.
As if this tale isn’t already sweet enough, when word had gotten around about Cayleigh’s story, the entire community decided to rally together for her too!
Dressed to kill, the kindergarten was driven to the dance in a limo like a movie star.
Then, upon arrival, she was greeted by police officers, firefighters, and Patriot Guard members— who had all showed up to help make her night great!
Cayleigh spent the evening dancing with Srgt. Bierbrodt and the other guests.
“It’s a very special day,” she said.
“Because were we’re celebrating my dad. He was a very, very, very special dad to me, and he was a good soldier.
Jillian, Cayleigh’s mom, said, “The whole night was magical.”
“Her favorite parts were riding in the limo, getting her big dog and flowers, and dancing the whole night in her pretty dress.”
“I know her dad is looking down on her.”
Hear the touching story below!
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