Lillian Skinner, a 17-year-old student at Grand Prairie High School near Dallas, was beyond excited when she heard she had been nominated for homecoming queen. Unfortunately, like a cruel joke out of the Carrie playbook, it turned out the whole thing was only a mean prank cooked up by a bunch of bullying classmates.
In an effort to help lift up her spirits, two friends — Anahi Alvarez and Naomi Martinez — came up with a wonderful way to help Skinner actually win the crown.
After learning of the prank, Alvarez and Martinez, who have been friends with Skinner since 7th grade choir, hatched a plan to pass their crown to Skinner should either of them be named homecoming queen.
“We promised each other and we were like, ‘No matter what, no backing down. If one of us wins, we’re giving Lillian the crown,'” Martinez said.
Last Friday, Alvarez and Martinez, along with help from the school principal Lorimer Arendse, were able to follow through with their little plan. The end-result was an absolutely heartwarming sight that’s likely to restore your faith in humanity.
“In all my time in school, this is probably the greatest moment I’ve ever experienced as a principal,” said Arendse, who has five years of prior experience in school administration.
It was Arendse’s job to escort Skinner onto the field, under the guise of helping to take pictures of the homecoming court’s procession. So Skinner had front row seats for when her friend, Anahi Alvarez, was named 2014 homecoming queen.
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It was Arendse’s job to escort Skinner onto the field, under the guise of helping to take pictures of the homecoming court’s procession. So Skinner had front row seats for when her friend, Anahi Alvarez, was named 2014 homecoming queen.
“When she won the queen, I took a picture and she told me to come over. And I said, ‘It’s OK. It’s OK. It’s your crown, you know? My name is not on the list,'” Skinner said.
Slowly it dawned on Skinner what was really happening, according to the others in attendance.
“That’s when it was just, the moment itself took over,” Arendse said, still smiling four days after the fact.
“Seeing the look on her face and the way she reacted toward it, it was priceless,” said Martinez. “I knew it was the right decision.”
Skinner did not know what to think as Alvarez placed the crown on her head.
“I was like, ‘Wow, really? Like, wow! Like, is this a dream or something?'” Skinner said Tuesday, pinching her arm as she did.
Below, watch a short news report on the amazing act of kindness and friendship.