Music blared and smiles abounded on Sunday, April 29, 2012, as residents at St. Mary’s Home for Disabled Children danced the afternoon away at prom, with a little help from their friends.
In what has become an annual tradition, students from Norfolk Academy decorated St. Mary’s Atrium and also served as dates for the young adults at St. Mary’s. The Auxiliary Board of St. Mary’s Home provided dresses, tuxes and flowers. A volunteer, Michelle Gabriele, came in to professionally apply the girls’ makeup. St. Mary’s staff and family members of the residents fixed the girls’ hair and helped the girls and boys get dressed for the big dance. Brandon Sutton, a licensed practical nurse at St. Mary’s, acted as DJ.
Koko was voted Prom Queen, and her good friend Brandon was voted Prom King. On hand to crown Brandon was Tiana Smith, a direct support professional at St. Mary’s. Brandon had asked Tiana to accompany him to prom. Brandon cannot speak but, during the dance, he used his computerized communication device to type out a message to Tiana: “I love you.”
You can see more photos from prom on our Facebook page.