Dad Shares Emotional Story of Teen Taking His Autistic Son to Prom

Sometimes, we hear about regular people doing amazing things that make us believe in kindness again.

This story, shared on Facebook years ago, touches my heart every time. It’s about a dad whose autistic son had a special moment when a girl asked him to go to prom.

Kids with special needs often want the same experiences as others their age. For a 17-year-old, having a prom date is a big deal. Not having one can feel like a failure and hurt their confidence. Going alone might not seem important to adults, but for teenagers, it can feel embarrassing.

Children with autism or other special needs may struggle more because they don’t always understand social situations.

This story’s dad, Mike Larson, wrote about what happened when his son Jon got ready for prom. Mike shared it on Facebook, and it’s been liked and shared by millions of people.

Mike wrote: “This is my son Jon with his prom date Maddi. He’s a junior with autism. A month ago, Maddi, a senior, came to my office – I teach at their school – and asked if she could take Jon to prom.”

Maddi got to know Jon through a school club that helps special needs kids and other kids become friends. Maddi told Mike, “He’s a junior, so it’s his prom too. I think he should have the chance to go.” Mike was touched and said yes.

Maddi didn’t stop there. She wanted Jon to have the best night. She found out his favorite color, orange, and got a dress in that color. She also made a dinner reservation at a place serving his favorite food: chicken fingers, fries, and chocolate milk.

Before she asked Jon to prom, Maddi talked to his dad to make sure it was okay.

“It was breathtaking,” Mike said to a local newspaper.

Mike explained why he shared the story on social media:
1. To support kids like Jon.
2. To support groups promoting friendships like this.
3. To remind people that there are wonderful kids like Maddi doing good things.

The prom photo went viral after Mike first posted it in 2013. In 2019, he celebrated it reaching 1 million shares and gave an update: Jon was happy and still living at home. Maddi had gotten married and felt shy about all the attention, saying she didn’t think it was a big deal.

Mike shared how much it meant to him. When Jon was diagnosed with autism, Mike feared his son would miss out on experiences like prom. But Maddi made sure Jon had a beautiful night.

“It’s something I never thought would happen,” Mike said. “Not only did it happen, but it was so special and has inspired so many others. It’s one of our best memories.”

Now, Jon is 20, and his dad couldn’t be prouder.