Hometown Heroes hold special prom

HURRICANE, W.Va. (WSAZ) - If the WSAZ Hometown Hero segment has taught us anything, it’s that not all heroes wear masks.

Sometimes they can be clad in prom dresses.

Nearing the end of a school year turned upside down by the pandemic, Hurricane High students were disappointed coronavirus concerns also nixed their prom.

“It was hard to take in, but we made the best of it,” Hurricane junior Madison Moon said.

Hurricane student Taylor Holstein has Down syndrome and has gone through three open heart surgeries.

She spent her final year of school doing at-home learning, away from her friends.

“Taylor didn’t get to socialize with everybody as much,” Taylor’s childhood friend Hailey Saxton said.

Saxton organized their own mini prom Friday, May 21.

“We all grew up together,” Saxton said. “She’s a big part of our lives, and we just wanted to do something to make her happy.”

Saxton, Moon, Holstein and Abby Edwards dressed up in prom attire, took pictures at the Milton’s Pumpkin Park, and went out to dinner.

“She just had the best day, and it made us super happy to make her happy,” Moon said.

“She just couldn’t stop talking about being around her friends and how happy she was,” Edwards said.

“I’m really happy for them doing this for me,” Holstein said.

“It does make me cry, because it wasn’t something we thought Taylor would ever be able to have,” Holstein’s mom, Garnett Stickler, said.

Stickler says the sweet gesture means the world to her.

“They’re incredible, incredible young ladies,” Stickler said. “Their mommies and daddies should be really proud of them, because they have huge hearts. They’re not just her heroes, but they’re now my heroes for what they did for her.”

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