Every day, countless people face the world head on even when it feels like it’s falling apart around them. That act alone takes an immense amount of strength and is something to be admired .
Thankfully, there are those who seek to help those struggling with grief and remind them that there is a community that loves them.
That’s what happened to one teen in Mississippi, who felt the love of her peers after the passing of her mother.
Homecoming is a special night for many students across the country.
Every year, thousands of people put their all into preparing for it, hoping the night will go perfectly and be something they remember fondly as they grow older.
However, not everyone is so lucky, and sometimes disaster strikes the day-of.
This is what happened to Brittany Walters of Forrest County Agricultural High School in Brooklyn, Mississippi.
Only hours before homecoming, Brittany’s mother, AJ Nichols-Walters, passed away. She’d been fighting a rather tough battle with cancer, which ultimately took her life.
RELATED STORIES
AJ had been well known at the school, so it was a loss felt by many. Everyone would have understood were Brittany not to come to homecoming, but she’d promised her mom she would go, and planned on keeping that promise.
The journey to get Brittany to homecoming at all had been one shared by their community.
AJ had been too unwell to take her daughter dress shopping, but wanted someone to help her daughter find the perfect dress. So she asked her husband to see if a family friend would shop with Brittany instead.
That friend was Tyra Idom, who said she was ‘shocked and honored’ that AJ thought of her. “How could she think of me? I can’t fill her shoes,” she wrote on Facebook.
As shocked as she was, she agreed.
“[…] I didn’t hesitate and neither did a lot of my friends. We wanted to make sure that Brittany found the perfect gown and would have everything she needed for her senior homecoming without any worries! Everyone poured out their love and resources. It was the most beautiful thing to witness.”
Brittany is sporting the red gown in the photo above, which looks beautiful on her.
That wasn’t where the acts of kindness ended.
When homecoming arrived and Brittany mustered up the strength to go, a beautiful moment ended up happening between her and her friend, Nyla Covington.
Both Brittany and Nyla were senior maids, and when it time to crown homecoming queen, Nyla wound up winning. Something about this didn’t feel right, though.
Mere moments after she was crowned, Nyla walked over to Brittany and crowned her instead.
In an interview with WLOX-TV , Brittany said, “All I could think about was my mom and how she wanted to be here, and then the next thing I know, Nyla walked toward me, and she hugged me. I just didn’t really think anything of it, and then she started to take off her crown.”
Nyla also described the moment to WDAM , “I told her it belonged to her, and then she was, like, backing away. I was like, ‘No, come here, get it, you’re your mom’s queen.’ I wanted her to know that.”
It was a touchingly beautiful moment for everyone there.
And people who weren’t there, too, as the story soon went viral on social media. Many praised Nyla for her selfless choice, and congratulated Brittany on the strength it must have taken to still go.
The story is one of love and community that will touch hearts and wet eyes for ages to come. Brittany’s mother is surely proud of her, and grateful her daughter has someone like Nyla to call a friend.
h/t: Mom.com