School dances and formals are major events in any teenager's life.
Most people recall some of their fondest teenage memories from events like prom or homecoming. I know that I always look back at my photos from prom and smile, remembering all of the fun I had with my high school group of friends!
Our collective nostalgia for high school dances probably explains why so many prom and homecoming date "proposals" go viral. Here at LittleThings, we've written about quite a few over-the-top prom proposals (and reactions to said promposals) — some of which are grander than marriage proposals I've seen!
But one of the sweetest homecoming proposals I've seen recently has to be this one from North Carolina high school student Maiya Davis. The young woman fulfilled a years-long promise to bring her friend, Eric, to homecoming as her escort — and Eric's reaction is too sweet.
Scroll through to read more about this sweet story!
Thumbnail Photo: Facebook / Maiya Davis
Maiya Davis is a Greensboro, North Carolina, teen.
The high school senior was elected to her class' homecoming court this year.
But while many viral homecoming proposals involve a guy asking a girl to the dance, Maiya flipped the script and took that decision into her own hands. She decided to ask one of her best friends, Eric Walker.
Eric is another student in Maiya's grade. He has cerebral palsy, a neurological disorder that can affect movement (including speech), muscle coordination, or posture.
According to Maiya, she and Eric met on the very first day of high school in their earth and environmental science class during first period. She decided to strike up a conversation with him about his Carolina Panthers jersey.
At first, Maiya was nervous that she'd done something "wrong" when Eric expressed his excitement that she'd talked to him by screaming. But she soon realized that he was happy to communicate with her. As the months passed, the two grew closer and struck up a years-long friendship.
Maiya tells LittleThings that she and Eric were always partners during class assignments and always cracking jokes with each other.
"I've always told Eric that if I were ever to get on Homecoming Court that I would take him as my escort," she explains.
One morning during their senior year, it was announced that Maiya had been elected to Homecoming Court.
By that time, her boyfriend, Caison Dillon, had transferred schools.
Caison and Maiya's mom, Melissa Nishan, decided to help Maiya plan out the perfect homecoming proposal for Eric.
Maiya even managed to incorporate their ongoing "feud" over football — Eric is a huge Panthers fan, whereas Maiya loves the New England Patriots.
"We came up with the Panthers balloon that said "HC" [for "Homecoming Court"] and a sign that said '(Ew) you like Panther blue, I like Patriot blue, BUT I guess it'd be "Puurty" cool if you were my escort to… HOMECOMING COURT,'" Maiya explains. "I asked him at lunch the next day and got a bigger expression than the day Eric and I first met! So of course it was a yes!"
The gleeful expression on Eric's face definitely does say it all!
Another student captured photos of the sweet moment. Maiya's mom Melissa shared those photos and a short video to Facebook, along with pictures of the two friends all glammed-up at homecoming later that month.
"Eric is a really special friend to a lot of people. He's given me advice and helped me through hard times throughout the years. Eric's disability is only physical, and when you talk to him, you realize he is like any other 17-year-old boy," Maiya tells LittleThings. "Eric has big dreams just like anyone else! One of his dreams is to go skydiving when he turns 18."
Don't Maiya and Eric have such a sweet friendship?
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