Good News Friday: Delores Dennison Goes To Prom

Delores Dennison had never been asked to prom before, so she wasn’t sure what to make of it the day her phone rang and a young boy named Austin was on the other end of the line and wanted to know if she’d go to the dance with him. She was sure he didn’t mean it, and was probably doing it to be nice, but he persisted.

“Grandma, I want you to go to the prom with me.”

Delores’ great-grandson, emphasis on great, sincerely wanted her to attend the Parkway High School prom with him as her escort. Delores wasn’t sure, still , because she’d suffered both a stroke and a heart attack, and said she wasn’t that good on her feet any more, but Austin wasn’t taking ‘No’ for an answer, and so she finally said ‘Yes.’

For Delores, it was the first time she’d ever been invited to a prom; she never finished high school back in West Virginia, so the prom never came for her.

Austin says the idea to take his great grandmother to the prom was inspired by his government teacher Lucas Minnich:

“Mr. Minnich told me that his older brother had taken his grandma to the prom. I asked Grandma if she would be my date to the prom and she said that she would be honored. I told her that it would be my privilege. I’ve been blessed with grandparents and great grandparents that know as much as they do. They have so many stories to tell. All I have to do is ask.”

Austin and Delores went shopping for a special dress for the prom, and the day before the dance he bought her a pearl necklace. When he went to pick her up, he played his guitar and

sang the song,”Iris,” for her, and then took her to dinner at her favorite restaurant. 

Then, their first stop at the dance at Parkway High School was to have their prom picture taken.

“When the music started to play, we danced on the floor. They played the Frank Sinatra song, ‘I love the kisses of Delores.’ Her husband (Edward) used to sing that song to her. There was a standing ovation when we came out.”

And they danced and laughed together, and then Austin took Delores home after their special night.

“We got home shortly after 9 p.m., later than I go to bed these day.”—Delores Dennison

And for Austin, the evening was equally as special:

“I feel stupendous. I know this helped her out. When you help others, in some way you help yourself. She means so much to us. I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.”

:::wipes tears:::

Have a great weekend, y’all, and maybe channel a little Austin Dennison while you’re out and about.

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