Teen Takes Mom with Months to Live to Prom — She Put On ‘the Most Beautiful Dress’ She Had Ever Worn

Rather than taking someone his age to be his high school prom date, a teenager chose a person extremely close to his heart. A few weeks before the magical evening, he surprised his beloved mom with a box of donuts and a special message written in frosting.

Dylan Huffaker from Twin Falls, Idaho, loved his mother, Kerry Huffaker, with every fiber of his being. He often gave a glimpse of his personal life on his social media profile, peppered with photos of him and his parents.

On February 18, 2016, the Huffakers were ambushed by spine-chilling news — Kerry was diagnosed with stage four brain cancer. In addition to the heart-shattering diagnosis, she was reportedly given nine to twenty months left to live.

A Suprise Visit

Soon afterward, Kerry began treatment at a cancer institute in her hometown. One day, during her radiation session at Mountain States Tumor Institute in Twin Lakes, Idaho, she received an unexpected visit from someone special.

The DJ cleared the floor in their honor so Kerry and Dylan could enjoy an exclusive dance.

As she walked down the corridor, she had to pause and take a few steps back when she saw a familiar face. The Idaho woman was flabbergasted to see her son Dylan with a box in his hand. Later, she learned that he had brought her favorite chocolate donuts.

The Sweetest Response

At first, Kerry thought Dylan had brought the donuts because he knew she could eat them without worrying about nausea —one of the side effects of her radiation treatment. But it was only when she opened the box that she realized they weren’t ordinary donuts — they had a special message written on them in icing that read:

“Will you go to prom with me?”

Upon reading those words, Kerry was stunned and rendered speechless. She looked at her handsome son with pride and joy and uttered, “You don’t want to go to prom with an old, bald lady.” But Dylan’s sweet response touched her heart and filled her eyes with tears. Kerry recalled:

“He responded by telling me I’m going to be the most beautiful one in the room.”

Making it Happen

Dylan asked his mom to be his prom date a few weeks before the grand evening, and fortunately, her reply was a resounding “yes.” Shortly afterward, he reached out to Melissa Rowe, a social worker at Kerry’s treatment center, who brought a whole community together to put the plan into action.

Rowe got in touch with a local car dealership owner, Gregg Middlekauff, who donated the ride for the evening and offered to pay for Kerry’s dinner and outfit. When the Twin Falls resident donned the attire, she called it “the most beautiful dress” she had ever worn.

With everything else covered, all the mother-son duo needed was a driver to take them to Dylan’s high school and back home. To solve the issue, Mike Fenello, CEO of St. Luke’s Magic Valley Medical Center, not only volunteered to drive the pair to prom but also gifted them with a corsage and boutonniere.

A Magical Evening

On April 30, 2016, Dylan looked dapper in his suit as he picked up his gorgeous prom date, and the two posed for lovely photographs. Afterward, they went to Canyon Ridge High School, where another surprise awaited them. The DJ cleared the floor in their honor so they could enjoy an exclusive dance.

The mother and son gently swayed to Garth Brooks’ song, “The Dance,” the poignant lyrics of which perfectly captured their situation. Dancing with her 17-year-old boy, the only thing that worried Kerry was the nagging thought that she wouldn’t be alive to dance with him on his wedding day. But the 59-year-old mom expressed:

“I may not physically be there with him, but I’ll be there in his heart.”

Regardless of the future, Kerry was glad she lived the most magical and unforgettable evening with her beloved son. Meanwhile, Dylan shared, “I put her through 17 years of hard times, so it’s worth it to take her to prom.”

The Online Support

Even the netizens approved of Dylan’s “prettiest prom date” and couldn’t help but dote on him and his mother. Here are a few comments that they wrote:

“Wow, that brought tears to my eyes. Seems like all her good upbringing of her son, really paid off for that mother. She looks so happy an proud. His future wife an kids will be so lucky to have this young man in their life (sic).”

— (@100011597021928) May 28, 2016

“Wow, what a great son! That was a really beautiful thing to do! She raised a winner! God bless you both.”

— (@awillowinthewind) May 29, 2016

“That is beyond words. Beautiful! What an amazing son. You will always have that special memory of your Mom. My best to u both.”

— (@debbie.loguidicegardella) May 29, 2016

If this lovely story touched your heart, don’t forget to share it with your loved ones. Click here to read another story about a young man who took his grandma to her first prom to give her the best memories in her final months.