Hospital surprises teen and her boyfriend with a homecoming dance after she missed it due to surgery

Megan Krafty is just like other 17-year-olds who look forward to attending the homecoming dance at their schools. But unfortunately, she was hospitalized after a brain tumor diagnosis. However, the caregivers at Ohio's Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital for Rehabilitation had a memorable surprise planned out for Krafty. According to PEOPLE, the staff at the hospital went out of their way to organize a homecoming dance for the teen and her boyfriend, Tommy.

Krafty's mother Jill, told the outlet that her daughter went through the surgery successfully on September 12, 2023 after she got diagnosed on September 5, 2023. Krafty was put under medical care after tests detected a brain tumor, per a spokesperson of the hospital. Krafty was later admitted to Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital until September 20. The hospital's spokesperson also revealed that the teen was "upset about missing her homecoming dance that weekend." 

When the caregivers at the hospital got to know about the upset teen, they wasted no time in organizing a Christmas-themed homecoming dance just for her at the hospital premises. The staff planned the event to take place at 1 p.m. on the same day when her high school's homecoming dance was taking place, according to Krafty's mom. Krafty was overjoyed to learn what the caregivers had done for her. "(She was) very excited knowing she was still going to wear her dress and celebrate the day," her mom recalled.

@clevelandclinicchildren shared an adorable video of Krafty and her boyfriend on their Instagram page as well. The young pair can be seen enjoying the moment to the fullest as Krafty is moved to happy tears. @chrislipster, who claimed to be present at the moment, wrote underneath the post: "I was blessed to have been present for this celebration. Words cannot describe how amazing this was for Megan, her family and all of the other patients and families that were there. My heart was full that day."

Krafty wore a gorgeous pink gown that she had initially planned to wear for her school's homecoming dance as she was brought out in a wheelchair to meet her boyfriend. "Megan loved all the decorations and how much effort they put into making the day special," her mother added. Krafty's boyfriend Tommy, whose real name is Thomas Wilson, got help from his girlfriend to pick out flowers for his boutonnière before the main event.

"She got teary-eyed seeing Tommy," her mom further commented. Despite staying confined to her wheelchair, Krafty was able to dance a bit, eat and indulge in fun activities with her boyfriend, parents, grandmother and fellow patients in attendance. According to the hospital's spokesperson, the caregivers hoped that surprising Krafty with this homecoming dance was right about enough "to help her deal with the pain of missing out on the actual one." "She said it was great for not being able to go to her actual homecoming," Jill added.

According to NBC 5 Cleveland, Krafty was blessed with yet another surprise. Krafty studied at the Huron High School in Ohio and her friends from the school, along with her neighbors showed up to organize a homecoming parade for her as well. For a brief period of time, she was let out of the hospital and was driven slowly through a stretch of road where fellow students and neighbors cheered and waved at her from either side of the street.