For most 17-year-old high school boys, finding a date to the homecoming dance is a very high-priority mission.
So it can be a tough blow to a young man’s self-esteem once they experience the pain of being turned down by their special someone.
But, for Daniel Rivas, a 17-year-old Arizona boy living with Down syndrome, this experience was especially hard.
Daniel has dreams of attending college one day and becoming a chef. But, until then, he just wants to enjoy his high school experience to its fullest.
And, for Daniel, a big part of that experience included bringing a date to his homecoming dance.
Daniel’s mom Tonya Rivas was also excited to see her son enjoy this invaluable experience.
Unfortunately, again and again, poor Daniel was turned down by every girl he asked.
But, when 10th grader Kylie Fronius heard about Daniel’s plight, she knew exactly what she wanted to do.
The teen immediately stepped up to surprise her classmate.
So, one day after school, Kylie asked Daniel to be her date to the homecoming dance.
Of course, Daniel was tickled pink by his classmate’s proposal and accepted.
“Someone took the time to take my son to homecoming,” said Tonya Rivas, Daniel’s mother, as her voice cracked with emotion.
“Words can’t even describe what I’m feeling right now,” she added, stunned by Kylie’s kind gesture.
Daniel’s mom was both touched and astounded by the girl’s kindness toward her son.
“It’s not that Daniel has a disability. It’s Kylie didn’t see any disability. That is what your heart wants as a mom.”
However, his surprise date was only the beginning for Daniel.
After news of Kylie’s sweet proposal hit social media, it drew attention from local news.
Fox5 caught wind of the story and featured the teens in a broadcast that won the hearts of thousands.
“I don’t think of kids that have a disability,” Kylie told Fox 5 KVVU-TV. “I don’t think of them as being different,” she added.
“I hope I can make his night fun.”
Unbeknownst to the teens, was that the station planned a giant surprise that would make their date even more memorable.
The Fox5 Surprise Squad, which acknowledges the kind acts of good people in the community by rewarding them with delightful surprises, decided to kick things up a notch.
On the night of their dance, both Kylie and Daniel were greeted by Monica Jackson, host of the Surprise Squad.
But it was what Monica arrived in that had the teens excited.
Monica rolled up in a beautiful Rolls Royce.
After the luxury ride picked them up, the high schoolers were whisked off for a fancy dinner at a high-class local eatery called Bistro 57.
And the red carpet treatment didn’t stop there for the teens.
It was an emotional night filled with joyous tears, as the surprises just kept coming.
During the dance, there was a surprise announcement.
“We’re not done,” host Monica Jackson announced, appearing on the auditorium stage.
To ensure that the rest of Daniel’s dreams came true, he was awarded a $10,000 scholarship from United Nissan in Las Vegas.
Then after that, they surprised Daniel’s date Kylie with a brand new car.
“All you had to do was watch the (original) news story that aired, and you saw a young lady with a huge heart, and she was inspirational,” said Don Forman, the owner of United Nissan, revealing his motivation for making both Kylie and Daniel’s dreams come true.
This just goes to show how one simple act of kindness can have a snowball effect that motivates and inspires others to follow.
Both Kylie and Daniel were not looking for their homecoming to be noticed or reward, but good deeds sometimes bring about good fortune.