If you have ever had a person with Down Syndrome in your social circle, then you know that they are normal people just like us, who just happened to be born with some differences compared to the average person.
People with Down Syndrome are beautiful, intelligent people, who crave interaction and fun, just like any other human being.
This means that teenagers with Down Syndrome still enjoy fun activities at school, and that they still want to go to prom just like every other 17-year-old.
This touching story is about a promise that was made in elementary school and it was fulfilled seven years later.
Ben Moser, who plays football at Susquehanna as a quarterback, used to have a good friend in elementary school. Her name is Mary and she happens to have Down Syndrome.
However, this wasn’t an obstacle for them to become friends. In fact, the two of them enjoyed spending time together.
“I thought Mary was really cool,” Ben told the Patriot News. “She was sweet and easy to get along with.” And Mary added that “He was sweet and he was nice.”
They became friends in fourth grade, but Ben’s mom didn’t know until the end of the school year when her son asked her if kids with Down Syndrome get to go to prom.
She couldn’t wait to get her flowers on :-)
“Ben had gone to his cousin’s prom walk,” his mom said, “and on the way home, he said ‘Mom, do kids like Mary go to prom?’ and I said ‘Sure, honey, if someone asks them. Why do you ask?’ [and he said] ‘Well, you know what? I’m gonna take Mary to prom.'”
And, a few years later, it was time for Ben to fulfill his promise, although in the meantime he and Mary had gone to different schools, and although Mary had already made plans for her prom night.
Ben and Mary ended up in different high schools, Ben at Susquehanna High School and Mary at Central Dauphin, where her dad was a math teacher. But they shared a love for sports.
Ben was the quarterback for the football team, and Mary was equipment manager in her school team.
Although they were practically rivals, Ben still had to stay true to his promise.
“I don’t think it should be too weird,” Ben joked. “There [are] good kids there.”
Indeed, he bought balloons and wrote “prom” on them, and went to Mary’s house to ask her to go to prom with him.
Mary had no idea that he would want to be her prom date, but she was excited to go with her friend.
“I was surprised,” Mary admitted, smiling. “I was going to go with some friends.”
So, when the big day came, Ben and Mary looked amazing in their matching outfits, and their parents and fourth-grade teacher were there with big smiles- and maybe some tears in their eyes.
By far one of the best teachers to touch our children’s lives!!!! Thank you Tracey Spogli from the bottom of my heart for loving our two kids like you did, have and always will!!!!! Love you!
The teenagers looked great in their prom photos and we are sure they had a great time that night.
Bottom line? In a world full of bullies, be a Ben! Head over to the video below to watch the heartwarming duo make their way to prom.
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