From time to time, we encounter ordinary people who do extraordinary things that restore our faith in humanity.
This emotional post was published on Facebook a couple of years ago, but it melts my heart every time I see it — so why not share it further?
In it, a father recounts the day when a girl unexpectedly walked into his office and asked permission to ask his autistic son a question.
Children with special needs often want to have the same experiences as any other child their age. Finding a date for the school dance is a top priority for any 17-year-old, so it can be a serious blow to their self-confidence if no one agrees to go with them.
Going alone — although it’s not that important — can be tantamount to social ruin for a teenager; so not being able to find a partner can be a serious threat to their self-confidence.
Some kids can be super sensitive and don’t have the tools they need to understand everything yet — this is especially true for kids with special needs, like autism.
The father in this story, Mike Larson, decided to write about what happened when his autistic son John was preparing for his high school prom. He then posted the whole story on Facebook, where it has been shared and liked by millions of people. Read on below!
“This is my son John with his date at Maddie’s prom,” Mike wrote in the caption to his prom photo. “He is in elementary school and has autism. About a month ago, Maddie, a senior, came to my office (I work as a teacher at their school) and asked if John’s mom and I would allow her to take him to prom.”
Gifts for boysChildren’s education
Mike continued: “Maddy met John at a school club that promotes friendship between children with special needs and typical children.” “He’s in elementary school,” she explained, “so it’s his prom too. I just think he should have a chance to go.“ I told her we would be honored if he went with her.”
Maddie not only decided to take John to her prom, but she also wanted him to have the best night ever. She did a little research and found out John’s favorite color (orange) so she could buy a dress in that color. She also reserved a table for their group (the two of them and another couple) at a restaurant that served his favorite food — chicken fingers, French fries, and chocolate milk.
Update: I’m reposting this in honor of this 6-year-old post. Last week, it surpassed 1 million views. I received…
Posted by Mike Larson on Saturday, April 27, 2013
Before asking John to dance, Maddie wanted to ask his father if it was okay.
“It was a very exciting moment for me,” Mike Larson said in an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Mike’s post about graduation
According to Mike, he had three reasons for posting his graduation photo on social media.
- “To show support for special children like John.”
- “To show support for groups that promote such friendships.”
- “To remind all of us, at a time when we hear about all the terrible things happening, that there are wonderful kids like Maddie who are working to make other people’s lives better.”
The viral prom photo was posted in 2013, and Mike Larson continued to report on what happened to the couple after prom.
In 2019, he noted that the post had garnered 1 million views and his message had spread around the world. He also shared how everyone was doing: ” Many people have asked how John is doing. He is healthy and happy, still living at home.”
Mike also said that Maddie is now married and sometimes feels “awkward” about all the attention — she doesn’t think it’s anything special. Mike ended the post with the words: “Thank you to everyone who wished them well.”
When John was diagnosed with autism more than 16 years ago, his father came up with several scenarios for how things might unfold. One of them was that his son would never go to prom because of his autism. But thanks to Maddie, John not only got to go to prom, he had a wonderful evening! Gifts for boysBeautiful dresses
“I never thought this would happen to our family, but not only did it happen, it happened in such a wonderful way,” said Mike Larson. “And the fact that it will continue and bless the lives of others exceeds all my expectations. It will be one of the most cherished memories of our lives.”
How is it possible that my little boy turned 20 today? John, I love you so much.
Children’s educationFamily vacation tours
Posted by Mike Larson on Monday, January 19, 2015.
I really appreciate that there are still kind and warm-hearted people in the world — it gives us all hope. If you enjoyed this story too, feel free to follow the father’s request and share it with your loved ones!
This girl is so sweet and tactful that she asked his parents first. I hope they took lots of photos to remember this special occasion!
