Teen's cheesy "promposal" to girl with Down syndrome goes viral

Eighteen-year-old Shaedon Wedel had been carefully plotting his “promposal” since the beginning of the school year. From the time of day right down to the line he was going to use, the Kansas teen thought about all the ways he could make 15-year-old Carlie Wittman, who has Down syndrome, feel special.

And it’s safe to say, last weekend, the Newton High School senior did just that.

Wedel walked up to Wittman, who was standing on a porch outside her home, wearing a red T-shirt with a Doritos logo on it. On the shirt were the words, “I know I’m NACHO typical Dorito but... I’m going to be CHEESY and ask: Will you go to prom with me?”

Shocked, an excited Wittman jumped up and down, covering her mouth with both hands as she repeatedly yelled, “Oh my gosh!”

Her dad stood behind her, encouraging her to take a closer look at Wedel’s shirt.

As she read Wedel’s shirt out loud, she realized what he was asking, and started tearing up.

“Will you go to prom with me?” Wedel asked, handing Wittman a bouquet of roses and a bag of Doritos.

Her answer of course was, “Yes!”

It may have seemed like an unusual way to ask someone to prom, but Wedel said it fit Wittman’s personality to a tee.

“I decided on the Doritos theme because I have known her for 7 years and there has not been a day that I have not seen her eat Doritos,” Shaedon told CBS News. She absolutely loves them!”

Having known her older brother Carson for 7 years, Wedel said he thinks of the Wittmans as basically his second family.

“They have been so kind and nurturing to me,” he said.

So Shaedon didn’t have to think twice about who he would bring to prom his senior year. Of course it would be Carlie.

Wedel shared a minute-long video of the “promposal” on Friday, and within hours it went viral with more than 22,000 views.

Dozens of people commented on his post, praising the young man for his sweet act.

“You are an awesome most thoughtful young man,” one Facebook user wrote.

“You gave her a experience every high school girl loves and deserves,” another commented. “You young man are an example to the youth everywhere.”

But Wedel said it was a no-brainer to take “one of the sweetest gals” he knows to the dance, which is coming up on April 22.

“My main goal is to make her prom as special as possible,” said Wedel. “She says she wants to be a princess like Cinderella and it would mean everything to make her feel that way.”