In my current cynical state, few things can bring me to tears. While I’m watching with amazement and horror at the Virginia Tech tragedy, I have to admit those reports in this morning’s paper did not bring a tear to my eyes the way this one did: Friends Make Teen Feel Like Royalty. Out of South Georgia, a place I had long thought of as stereotypically backward when it came to special needs students (Sorry Cindy on Older Child blog, it’s just what I thought), came this story. Melanie Barrett, a girl with Downs Syndrome who had also survived leukemia had always dreamed of being the prom queen. In fact, she had announced she was going to be for several years.

Melanie, a beloved student at Pierce County High School, went to the prom last year as a junior only to be crushed that she wasn’t even nominated. This year, however, things were different.

Melanie asked Stephen Wall to be her date. Stephen was adopted at two days old and diagnosed with cerebral palsy at six months. Ok, now I was hooked on this story.

You can start to guess the rest, right? Melanie and Stephen show up at the prom, dressed exquisitely in a sky blue gown and a black tux, respectively. At midnight, the announcer began announcing the nominated princes and princesses of the prom court. Melanie and Stephen had been nominated, but their names were not called. Melanie’s mom Carol was sure this was an oversight.

Then the announcer called their names as king and queen, making this girl’s childhood dream a reality. Yes, I’m a sap for a story like this…yes I’m crying!

But the tears really started to flow when the reporter added that “Out of 180 seniors, only seven had not voted in their favor.”

Talk about restoring a mom’s faith in humanity! Thank you Pierce County High School!

Check out another news story that brought me to tears.

Photo by Steve Jeffords