For most teens, prom is a time to ask out your crush, then dress to the nines and hit the dance floor until the wee hours. But one California teen had the best date of them all: her own grandfather.
Kaylah Bell didn’t mind that she didn’t have a prom date.
She was ready to go to prom with a group of her friends and enjoy the night, even with no one by her side. But her grandfather thought she deserved to have great prom pictures with a stylish man on her arm.
Alvin Hackett, 67, and his granddaughter are incredibly close.
That’s why when he found out that Kaylah would be going to prom alone, he made a plan.
He bought a suit that matched Kaylah’s beautiful purple-and-rose dress. Hackett was determined that she would have beautiful pictures to remember this day by. And like a good prom date, he also bought her a corsage and himself a matching boutonniere.
Kaylah was so touched by her grandfather’s thoughtfulness and effort that she uploaded their wonderful prom photos to Twitter.
“My papa knew I didn’t have a date to my prom so he matched me!” read her tweet.
Kaylah had meticulously planned her prom dress. Her family had already contributed to her look by recommending she add a cape to it. So, Kaylah did: purple and pink satin with a clasp of gems.
Kaylah’s inspiration for the look came from Mary, Queen of Scots on the CW show Reign.
But as much thought and effort, as she put into her own dress, her grandfather matched it with his own prom look.
Alvin was dressed to the nines and looked completely dapper, but his granddaughter wasn’t surprised by that part. She says that being a sharp dresser is part of who he is.
“’My Grandpa is a pastor of his own church and people say he is the sharpest pastor in the Antelope Valley,” said Kaylah. “So, I’m sure he already had his look in his closet.”
His outfit of choice was a blue pinstripe suit with a purple shirt and pink tie — perfectly coordinated to Kaylah’s floral dress.
“My papa matching was truly a blessing to me,” said Kaylah. “It makes me emotional to think about it because we are super close. I really just felt blessed that I was able to create this memory with him.”
Papa didn’t accompany her to the dance for real since it had an age limit of 21 and under.
However, they did take some wonderful photos together before he sent Kaylah and her friends on their way.
“My friends thought it was so adorable, because they new how hard it was for me to find a date, and they know how much I love my grandpa,” Kaylah said. (sic)
She said his gesture meant even more to her, knowing how she’s been stressed and anxious as the end of the school year approaches and as she considers colleges. For that night, all her grandfather cared about was making sure his granddaughter had a wonderful night at prom.
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