School events that involve parents are adorable – but they can be upsetting for children who don’t have a loved one to invite.
One second-grade little girl had been looking forward to her Arkansas school’s father-daughter dance for the longest time. But her dreams were shattered when her father passed away.
Her school, however, was thankfully prepared with a means of allowing children without a father to still attend.
The school arranged for voluntary escorts for the dance, and the little girl’s partner was chosen: officer Nick Harvey.
Speaking about stepping up for the role, Nick joked:
“I reached out to the mother, [she] said it was okay… Because the last thing I want to do is get rejected by a second grader. So her mom talked to her about it and the next day I formally asked her if she would be my date to the daddy-daughter dance.”
The little girl, 8-year-old Avery Cox, had probably thought her chances of attending the father-daughter dance were slim – but thanks to the kindness of a stranger, she could enjoy the festivities with her schoolmates.
The big day for the event arrived, and parents and volunteers did everything they could to make it perfect.
Nick proudly escorted Avery to the dance, and the pair did the event in style, taking a limo and stopping off for a pizza on the way.
Photos of Avery and Nick grinning for the camera show what a good time they were having. Nick looked the part on a smart suit, while Avery was wearing a pretty red dress.
Though Nick obviously didn’t regret his involvement in the event, Avery could understand the kindness behind his actions. She told 5NEWS:
“It meant a lot because I actually got to go and see all my friends there. And then I got to go with him and have a lot of fun.”
It’s clear from the interview of Nick and Avery that the pair have a real father-daughter-like bond that’s heart-melting to see.
Perhaps they bonded on the dance floor, and Nick revealed that wonderful memories were made on that spot.
He admitted:
“I embarrassed myself a little bit and danced when I can’t dance at all.”
So, he was a typical dad dancer, by the sounds of things! He must have fitted right in with all the other dads.
Little Avery didn’t care about the dancing abilities of her voluntary dad though – she was just overwhelmed that she could share that special moment with someone.
Explaining the moment on-camera, Avery gets emotional, and like any doting dad, Nick gives her a hug.
It’s clear that the pair have developed a friendship that’s bound to last forever. To Avery, a child who lost a parent at such a young and critical age, having a male role model to look up to probably means a whole lot.
The night ended perfectly: with ice cream and a ride home in a police car. Not many people can say they’ve done that – for happy reasons, anyway!
While Nick can never replace Avery’s father, he stepped in and took on the role perfectly.
He says he hopes to take his little dance partner to the daddy-daughter dance every year from now on.
Watch the video below to see an interview with Nick and Avery, plus more pictures of the event!
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