‘A Memory That Will Last a Lifetime’: High School Senior Takes Great Grandmother for His Prom

Courtesy of Briana Wollan

For one Watford City High School senior, his prom night turned out to be really special after his 92-year-old great-grandmother accepted his promposal and went with him.

Dakota Michael Wollan, 18, had spoken to his parents about how he didn’t know who to take this year for prom, when his father came up with the idea of taking his great-grandmother Madeline Gladys Miller.

Madeline and her great-grandson Dakota. Courtesy of Briana Wollan

“After his dad suggested taking Madeline, Dakota’s mom stated that Dakota’s face lit up and Dakota said that he loves that idea,” Dakota’s cousin, Briana Wollan, 28. told The Epoch Times.

However, before asking the nonagenarian for the prom, Dakota checked with his principal, who granted him the permission.

On Feb. 11, Dakota came up with a unique plan to ask Madeline for prom at her home.

“He held up the sign reading, ‘Can I take you to prom in this old truck?’ Briana said. ”Madeline saw the sign and she laughed and said, ’that’s great!'”

Dakota then asked the big question to his great-grandmother: “Will you go to prom with me for my last prom and your first?” and Madeline said “sure.”

Courtesy of Briana Wollan

The old truck that Dakota made the proposal from was a 1985 Ford that he'd received from Madeline herself. In 2020, Dakota was able to repair the truck and use it.

“During Christmas in 2020, Dakota showed Madeline the truck that he had fixed and she had the biggest smile on her face after seeing the truck,” Briana said. “She was shocked and very happy that he got it running again.”

Needless to say, the prom turned out to be a really special evening.

Before Dakota and Madeline went to the prom, Briana had asked her great-grandmother if she had a song request, to which she responded, Dolly Parton. However, Dakota mentioned that his school didn’t take any song requests at prom and thus they ended up doing their first and final dance to Neon Moon by Brooks and Dunn.

Courtesy of Briana Wollan

Witnessing this special couple at the prom, everyone was really happy for them. While many onlookers cheered for them, some others even shed tears.

Briana took Madeline back home a little after 8.30 p.m., since Dakota was unable to leave prom because, if he did, he wouldn’t have been able to be let back in.

Briana Wollan and Madeline. Courtesy of Briana Wollan

For Dakota, taking his great-grandmother to the prom meant the world to him. Briana, who works as a registered behavior technician in the behavioral health field, was also happy that Dakota chose his great-grandma to take for prom. She even shared pictures of the duo dressed to the nines, with the truck in the background, on Facebook, writing: “This is a memory that will last a lifetime!”

Courtesy of Briana Wollan

Walking alongside her great-grandson on her first prom ever, Madeline had a good time, too. “She stated that she ‘felt like the Belle of the Ball at Grand March,’” Briana told The Epoch Times.

According to KFYR, Madeline doesn’t recall if schools even held proms when she was a teenager, and unfortunately, she attended high school only for a year and a half, since her father fell ill and she had to drop out to take care of the farm.

Seeing Dakota take his great-grandma to the prom, Briana shared with The Epoch Times that his younger brother said that, four years later, when he’s a senior in high school, he would also like to take Madeline to the prom, to which Madeline responded that she'd wear the same dress.

Watch the video:

(Courtesy of Briana Wollan)

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