High school teens come together to give friend with Down syndrome a memorable prom night

Many are fortunate to have truly great friends who go above and beyond to bring joy to their lives. Annie Schlarmann, a high school student with Down syndrome from Monticello, Iowa, is one such person. Her considerate friends ensured her prom night was extraordinary, as reported by KWWL. Schlarmann had some hopes about her prom but her friends outdid her expectations. 

As a junior at Monticello High School, 17-year-old Schlarmann was eagerly looking forward to her first prom. Although she didn’t have a date, her friends stepped up to ensure the night would be unforgettable for her. Maria McCarthy, one of Schlarmann’s close friends, was determined to fill the day with fun. "So, we all got together, and we got to do so much fun stuff like we went out to eat, we went axe throwing, and we got ice cream," she added. 

The 17-year-old's mom Sue Schlarmann was absolutely elated by the thoughtful gesture. "It just was a special thing that they asked her to go because when you have a child with a disability, you're always hoping that they're going to get the same opportunities as your other children, so to have them have such a genuine and kind heart and reach out and ask Annie to go to prom is something special," said Sue. To Schlarmann's friends, there was no one more deserving than her to have the best prom night. The teen was known for her fun and caring nature and she was so loved by her kith and kin.

The teen's sister Ellen Schlarmann, who is a teacher, told the news channel, "I always impress on my students how important learning is at school, but it's not just the academics they're learning, but shaping them into people. This was just a beautiful example of what kindness and empathy look like." As for the 17-year-old, she had an absolute blast during her prom night. She was glad about how nice her friends were to give her a memory for life and she added, "They mean a lot to me."

Speaking of wholesome prom stories, a doting brother from the Philippines created a stunning prom dress for his sister since his parents couldn't afford it. Maverick Francisco designed and sewed an incredible ball gown from scratch and his sweet gesture gained traction when he posted it on Facebook.

"I browsed on YouTube and on Google about different types of ball dresses, especially Michael Cinco’s Spring and Summer Collection and started conceptualizing. Day by day as I was starting to do it, I was excited and I did not even imagine the amazing outcome," he wrote. The brother kept his promise to send his sister to prom and tried his best to give her the most beautiful attire he could.