MATT’S BEST DAY EVER. HE WON!

I have had so man people ask me for pictures of Matt’s homecoming experience escorting Maddie that I figured I would just put them on here. Just beware it’s picture overload!

Matt had the most amazing day of his life. He felt like a superstar all day! It all started in the morning. Matt had counted down to the seconds how long until he was in the assembly with Maddie all week. He woke up so happy and excited! He looked at me and said “This is the most exciting day!!” with a big old grin and eyes squinty from smiling so big! He was “pumped” as he says. He got dressed in his dress clothes, tied a bow around the flowers, and loaded up in the van to hurry to school. The whole ride to school he was singing love songs to Maddie and the squinty eyed grin couldn’t be taken off of his face.

We arrived at school and hurried down to the auditorium to explain to him what he was going to do and where he was supposed to go. He had his flowers in his arms and was anxiously waiting for the assembly to start. Maddie came over to him, gave him a corsage to wear (I’m pretty sure this made his day all by itself! She is so sweet, no one else’s escorts had flowers, only Maddie had thought of it to get for Matt) and told him where he was supposed to wait when the assembly started and he headed right out so he was ready in his spot. He anxiously awaited behind stage for her name to be called. When they read her name he drove to the center of the stage with the biggest squinty eyed smile! She came on stage, hugged him, and they walked over to where they were supposed to stand while the others names were read. Sweet Maddie bent down and talked with him or had her arm on his chair while the rest of the candidates names were read. After the names were read we (my mom and me) met Matt out in the hall. That squinty eyed smile that I didn’t think could get bigger was the biggest it has ever been!

We took some pictures out in the hall after the assembly and Maddie went to change. We then headed down to get Matt changed into his clothes for school that day. The entire rest of the day he kept saying, “I walk with Maddie one more time tonight at the football game. I won’t forget!”Kids stopped Matt in the hall way to tell him how great he looked in the assembly and Matt’s face would beam every time! He said “This is the best day ever!”

I think my favorite thing he said all day was “Maybe my girlfriend win, and I win too!”

We got home from school and Matt kept asking how much longer till he could get ready for the football game. Finally it was time for him to get ready! He was again so excited! He got all dressed up and his hair done. He got his second bouquet of flowers and we headed out the door. As soon as we pulled up Maddie came running to the van. She told Matt how excited she was and explained to him where he needed to be and that she would come right before because she had to dance at halftime. Matt said “OKAY!!” He sat all handsome looking and watched the first 2 quarters of the game, with 3 minutes left he headed over to the end zone to wait for “his girlfriend”.

Everyone was lined up and it had started! They started calling each of the candidates names one by one. It felt like it took each one of them forever to walk to the center of the track. Matt and Maddie were the last ones in line. When they called her name and Matt as her escort everyone started cheering so loudly. They started making their way down the track. Matt either has 2 speeds on his chair, he either barley moves (by choice, not by the speed of his chair) or he goes super speed! He was barley moving so Maddie told him to go quicker! He went full speed ahead and she was darling and just ran next to him in her heels.

As each of the runners up names were called, Matt sat there with a huge grin. Sweet Maddie would bend down and talk to him after each one was called.

They called 2nd runner up, then first… Then it was time… They called her name as homecoming queen and she was shocked the sweet girl couldn’t believe it, even though we all knew it would happen by how genuine she is to everyone. She stood there in line with the rest of the girls, but don’t worry! Matt heard her name and pulled all the way forward ha. The whole time in my head I was like, “SHOOT! We didn’t go over what to do if she won!!” Maddie came up next to Matt, they put her sash and crown on her and tears streamed down her face.

After her crown and sash were on, she came right over to Matt, hugged him and kissed his cheek! It was the most tender moment. I am so sad the picture is blurry. It breaks my heart!! It still captures the moment though and that’s what matters. I sat and watched with tears running down my face. Here is this sweet girl who just won homecoming queen, while the moment should have been 100% on her, she shared that moment with Matt. She made him feel as if he had won too.

I waved for Matt to come over to me while Maddie and the 1st and 2nd runner up. After she was done she came over for a picture with Matt. I think Matt’s face says it all in the second picture!

…and of course in Matt and Maddie fashion they had to have a dance party afterward on the track! Just the two of them started busting a move! It was perfection.

The night was truly perfect. It was the sweetest moments that my family will remember forever! Matt tells everyone that Maddie won and he did too! Maddie made him feel like the night/day wasn’t about just her, it was the 2 of them in it together.

We know our reality with Matt, we know he is special needs and that he won’t have the same opportunities as other kids. We don’t ask for him to be involved in things like this, because we know that is not reality. When someone asks him to be a part of things like this it truly is amazing experiences. There are truly genuine people out there that ask him to participate in things, go to dances, or even be on their PE team because they have a love for Matt, not to prove to their friends or society that they can be friends with the special needs kid. There is still good in the world, and we are so blessed to have some of that good be Matt’s best friend or as he calls her “his girlfriend”.

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