97-Year-Old Woman Goes to Prom for the First Time

A 97-year-old woman went to her first prom at her great grandson’s high school. Grandmother, Helen Danis [DEY-nis], achieved her dream of attending prom for the first time. The school dance was held at Pilgrim High School in Rhode Island, United States, where her great grandson was a student. Danis happily obliged to attend after her granddaughter, Julie Huddon, gave her a crown and an invitation to the dance. According to Danis, she could not afford to attend prom as a teenager due to her family’s situation at that time. Her family struggled financially during the Great Depression—the global economic crash from 1929 to 1939. Being unable to attend the dance affected the young Danis badly that she decided to drop out of school. Eighty years later, Danis was able to experience and enjoy the school dance with the help of Huddon. Attending prom was part of a bucket list that Huddon helped Danis put together. Thanks to Huddon talking to the principal of Pilgrim High School, Danis was able to attend the event. Pilgrim High School’s principal, Gerald Habershaw, was only too happy to help Danis cross off prom from her bucket list. He gave Danis permission to attend the dance. At the end of the program, he even crowned Danis honorary prom queen to which the students cheered and clapped. Danis was delighted with her prom experience and danced energetically throughout the night. The 97-year-old says that the experience was really special and that she does not wish to add any more activities on her bucket list for now.