Daniel Rivas wanted to attend homecoming. He had his heart set on it, in fact. The only problem? No one wanted to be his date.
The kindest acts get overlooked much too often. It’s easy to forget someone else’s struggle when you’re trying to keep deal with your own problems. Kylie Fronius is an exception to this unfortunate phenomenon, however.
Back in 2016, in the Las Vegas area, Kylie Fronius was a 10th-grader, and despite her age, she went above and beyond to make sure Daniel Rivas could have the homecoming of his dreams. Despite Daniel having Down syndrome, Kylie emphasized that she just sees him as someone who learns differently rather than someone with a disability. Kylie made a decision to make sure that Daniel would be able to enjoy homecoming like every high schooler dreams of doing.
Kylie Fronius made a large poster to ask Daniel Rivas to the dance, and once Fox5 News Las Vegas heard about the news, they decided to step in and make Daniel and Kylie’s story a part of their “Surprise Squad” segment. The two high-schoolers had the full homecoming experience with a dress, tuxedo, flowers, a nice dinner before the dance, a limo ride and even a red carpet! Daniel’s mom also appeared on the segment to express her gratitude to Kylie, Fox5 News Las Vegas and the community for making her son’s wish come true. This act of kindness triggered a chain reaction that was truly one for the record books, and the details are what make it absolutely worth the read.
Daniel Rivas has Down syndrome, and like many with his condition, he has experienced a lot of stigma because of it.
However, then 10th-grader Kylie Fronius expressed that she doesn’t see Daniel as disabled, and that’s why she asked him to the homecoming dance. Kylie said that rather than seeing Down syndrome as a disability, it’s just something that means you learn differently. Kylie told Fox5 News Las Vegas exactly how she sees Daniel when they surprised the pair and pulled up with a mobile news crew on that special day:
“I don’t think of kids that have a disability… I don’t think of them as being different. I think of them just being a normal person learning in a different way… I hope I can make his night fun,” she explained.
Daniel Rivas is one of many people living with Down syndrome. Down syndrome is one of the most common genetic disorders worldwide. According to a 2010 study by the Department of Pediatrics in the Netherlands, an estimated 1 in 1,000 babies born each year worldwide suffers from Down syndrome variants. In the U.S., the National Drown Syndrome Society (NDSS) states that, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, even 1 in 700 babies born each year suffers from it.
The exact cause of this common genetic disorder is not yet known. As far as science knows today, Down syndrome is not a hereditary disorder. Almost all Down Syndrome children are born to parents possessing the usual amount of chromosomes, and only 1% of known cases have been passed down from one parent.
According to the NDSS, a 35-year-old woman has roughly a 1:350 chance of giving birth to a child with Down syndrome, although the probability steadily climbs higher with a woman’s age –– reaching 1:100 at the age of 40. By age 49, the theoretical chance is 1 in 10. Since more and more couples are opting to have children later in life, Down Syndrome cases have also been on the rise over the last years, and more and more painless screening during early pregnancy has become available.
While Down syndrome cannot be cured, so to speak, it is not an insurmountable problem. Children born with it experience physical and mental growth delays, developing more slowly than a healthy child would. Every child and case of Down syndrome is also different from all others, which means there is a wide range of possible symptoms and development stages. In general, caring for and educating children born with trisomy 21, as Down syndrome is sometimes called, is more time-consuming but very much possible and worthwhile. In the U.S., 40% of children with Down syndrome who attend high school go on to graduate. Many go on to hold steady jobs and live independently, although most of them still require help managing their finances.
Daniel’s mom, Tonya, was so touched by what Kylie did. Tonya said:
“It’s not about that Daniel has a disability. It’s Kylie didn’t see any disability. That is what your heart wants as a mom…Someone took the time to take my son to homecoming; words can’t describe what I’m feeling.”
After hearing about the news, Fox5 News Las Vegas wanted to showcase Kylie’s “promposal.” They thought that Kylie’s behavior could be inspirational to everyone. What Kylie and Daniel didn’t know, however, was that Fox5 had something even bigger planned for them.
Fox5’s “Surprise Squad” is sponsored by United Nissan and America First Credit Union, though Monica Jackson was the face of the charity project before her departure from the news outlet in 2018. The Surprise Squad arranged for the teens to have dinner at a fancy local restaurant before homecoming. Tonya wept at the news as she explained how she walked pasted that restaurant often, but knew that she and her family could never afford a meal there. The chef at the restaurant said:
“Daniel likes spaghetti with meatballs, like mama makes at home, and this is home. So whatever you guys want — just order it.”
Fox5 then sent a Rolls Royce for Kylie and Daniel to be picked up so they can arrive at the homecoming dance in style. Monica told the teens that their story has “touched so many people,” and she was certainly correct.
The star treatment continued even after Kylie and Daniel arrived at the party. The two of them danced together for a bit before Monica Jackson and the Fox5 News crew appeared again. She said that the fun wasn’t over quite yet! Jackson revealed that Fox5 gave the teens and their families two free trips to Disney Land. The station wanted to acknowledge Kylie’s incredible act of kindness.
Kylie and Daniel have now become famous in their own right. Fox5 uploaded footage of the teens’ incredible homecoming moment onto YouTube, and it has been spreading like wildfire across the internet. Hopefully, Kylie and Daniel’s story will encourage others to engage in such a way that everyone is welcome to enjoy prom or a homecoming dance together despite their differences. This act of kindness is one that we’ll never forget.
Have you experienced any “random acts of kindness” in your life? Let us know what you think of this amazing story, and show this article to your friends to brighten their day!