Community Races To Help Wilmington Teen Attend Dream Prom
WILMINGTON (CBS) - It's an overwhelming, but awesome prom day for an 18-year-old from Wilmington. Kayla Blizzard is on the autism spectrum and goes to a school outside of Wilmington that doesn't host a prom. But thanks to Kayla's own determination, she's going to the Wilmington High School prom, Friday night.
It's a teenage rite of passage, the senior prom. But for a while it didn't look like Kayla would be part of it. "I didn't go to my junior prom. I've been wanting to go for a while," Kayla says.
When she first asked Wilmington High if she could go to that school's prom, no luck. "Two days later they said all the slots have been filled. You can't go," she says.
But she persisted, and with a little help, the school changed its mind, just on Thursday. "This is my chance to be young, and I was going to fight for it," Kayla says.
But that meant she had to get everything she needed for the prom, pronto. "It's a little overwhelming, but I'm having a lot of fun," she says.
Word got around and people in Wilmington and nearby communities proved their generosity. Russo's in Stoneham donated the dress and a limo ride, while The Salon on Haven in Reading did hair and makeup. Others came up with, well, everything else.
"The fact that they would do this for a complete stranger, that's just a good feeling," Kayla says.
After a hectic but exciting 24 hours, she's ready, and beautiful.
"I'm looking forward mostly to the dancing," she said.
Late in the day, Thomas Morris, a junior at Wilmington High School, heard about what Kayla was doing and told her he would be honored to escort her tonight.