Isabelle Knowlton, who has special needs, was excited to go to prom but crushed when her date cancelled at the last minute.
Isabelle, who lives with Angelman Syndrome, is mostly non-verbal and needs a wheelchair to move around, but her mom Syndi refused to let her daughter miss out.
Sharing in her daughter’s heartbreak, Syndi posted a plea on social media, asking someone to take Isabelle, then 16, to prom.
And then Prince Charming came to the rescue and gave Isabelle the fairy tale ending that she deserves.
In 2021, Utah’s Trina Preece was scrolling through Facebook when she stumbled on a post that pierced her heart.
The post, that included a photo of Isabelle Knowlton, was shared by Syndi Knowlton in a community group. It read: “My sweet daughter Isabelle is 16 and wheelchair bound. We have been talking about prom and her date can’t go now. Are there any young men that might want to attend the special needs prom with this gorgeous girl?”
Isabelle, affectionately known as Izzie, has a genetic disorder called Angelman syndrome. According to the Mayo Clinic, Angelman syndrome “causes delayed development, problems with speech and balance, intellectual disability, and, sometimes, seizures.”
In Isabelle’s case, she is unable to walk and though she can’t speak, she expresses herself with smiles and laughter, adding to her lovable and warm personality.
Isabelle’s date had fallen sick and could not accompany her, leaving the girl heartbroken.
After reading Syndi’s emotional plea, Trina struggled with holding back her tears.
Her son, Carson Preece walked into the room and when he saw his mom crying, the loving young man asked what was wrong.
“THIS BOY! A couple weeks ago, I was teary, Carson came in and asked what was wrong. I read him a Facebook post about a mother of a 16 yr old girl with special needs, looking for a date for her daughter to go to her school prom.”
Isabelle picked Carson
Meanwhile, at the Knowlton home, Syndi was fielding responses from several young men, wanting to take Isabelle to prom. The loving mom later updated her post, which has since been removed, and said, “so so overwhelmed and in tears with the love being shared with my cutie.”
Of all the boys, Isabelle chose Carson to be her date.
Determined to make Isabelle feel extra special, Carson showed up at her doorstep a day before prom and decorated the girl’s bedroom with pink, purple and white balloons.
When the big day came, Carson wore a blue suit paired with a white shirt and a pink tie that matched Isabelle’s light pink dress. The couple looked adorable, and Isabelle was crowned Prom Dutchess.
But it didn’t end there. A true gentleman, Carson joined Isabelle at her home, where they watched cartoons for over an hour.
“SO TENDER, this boy!” Trina boasts.
Trina and Syndi were there to watching over the young couple as they enjoyed their evening.
Trina shares, “Izzie is a darling girl, non-verbal, wheelchair bound, on a feeding tube and mostly uncommunicative. However, there were a few times when her eyes met Carson’s and she lit up like the 4th of July… and, well, so did he!” she continued, “We are all far more alike than we will ever be different. In a world full of choices, choose kindness!”
The post, which went viral, attracted almost 160,000 likes from netizens who praised Carson and Trina.
One writes, “You raised an amazing human being. Thank you for this beautiful share…and reminding us of the goodness in humanity!” And a second shares, “What a special boy to be so kind to this beautiful girl”
A third comments, “Thank you Carson from the [heart] of every parent or loved one of a child with a limitation the love you showed will always be remembered.”
Trina signed off her post saying, “Just a story about a boy I am blessed to call ‘son!’ He makes me want to be better, do better!”
Carson Preece makes everyone want to be better and do better! What a wonderful young man and his mom Trina has every right to boast about her beautiful son!
And Syndi is also such a great mom to help her gorgeous daughter! We hope Isabelle had a beautiful evening at prom and shared some moments with Carson that we’re sure she’ll remember a lifetime!
Please share this story so others will be inspired to “be better, do better!”