The homecoming dance is a big day for a lot of high schoolers. In Arizona, Daniel Rivas was facing the same dream.
The 17-year-old, who has Down syndrome, has big goals of becoming a professional chef – but first, he wants to live the typical high school life, and all the experiences that come with it, including homecoming.
Daniel asked out a few different girls, but each one turned him down – a huge blow to any teen’s self-esteem.
That’s when Kylie Fronius, a 10th grader, heard of Daniel’s plight.
She decided that she wanted to go to the event with him and asked him to be her date.
Of course, Daniel was absolutely thrilled – and so was his mother, Tonya Rivers, who was emotional at her kindness and so excited for her son to go to homecoming.
Kylie truly is a kind soul, and not because she is willing to date Daniel despite his disability – but because she doesn’t really see any disability there.
It’s the kind of perspective Tonya has always wanted her son to experience.
It wasn’t long before the story began circulating social media, and that’s when Fox 5 News – and their Surprise Squad – found out.
The Surprise Squad decided to reward Kylie’s kindness by making their homecoming experience truly unforgettable.
The squad’s host, Monica Jackson, arrived to greet them on the day of the dance, and a Rolls Royce arrived to pick Daniel and Kylie up!
The pair enjoyed a luxury ride, but it didn’t take them straight to the dance – instead, they were brought to Bistro 57, a fancy, expensive local bistro.
The magical night didn’t end there, either, and the couple enjoyed many a happy tear on their way to the dance.
When they arrived at Homecoming, they continued to have an amazing time – and then Monica stepped on stage and told everyone that Daniel, Kylie, and their families would all receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Disneyland!
But the Surprise Squad still wasn’t done.
They presented Daniel with a whopping $10,000 scholarship, courtesy of Las Vegas’ United Nissan car dealership.
Kylie wasn’t left out, either – she was gifted a completely new and amazing car!
According to Don Forman, who owns the company behind these gifts, he was moved by the obviously big, loving heart of Kylie when he first saw the news story.
All he wanted to do was make their dreams come true, and he did!
Kylie’s decision to take Daniel to homecoming wasn’t meant to earn her any praise, but this just goes to show the domino effect that can spawn from even the smallest good gestures.
It was free for her to do a good deed and take her friend to the dance with her, but it inspired generosity in so many others.
Many people see someone who is different and automatically think negatively of them.
It is important to recognize that those with different disabilities are human beings who deserve the same respect, kindness, and understanding as everyone else.
