When Daniele Clayton surprised one of her best friends with a special “promposal,” she wasn't expecting it to become an Internet sensation.
Clayton, a high school student in Guelph, Ont., knew last year that she wanted to ask her friend of four years JD Kus to be her escort at the school's Grade 12 prom.
Kus, who has Down syndrome, has been mentored by Clayton for four years at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic High School through the Best Buddies program, a Canada-wide initiative that breaks down barriers for the intellectually disabled.
She asked some friends to help her put in motion her plans for a special “promposal” for Kus.
"I had a little planner of who's going to hold what. So many people wanted to help, it was so sweet," Clayton told CTV Toronto.
As soon as Clayton started telling her friends about her plans, she learned that others wanted to help as well.
On April 7, Clayton and her classmates gathered in the school's cafeteria holding up letters of words that spelled "Will you go to the prom with me?"
Other students assembled in two rows along the side to cheer on Kus as he entered the cafeteria.
A video, posted to Clayton's personal Facebook page, captured the moment Kus entered the cafeteria to a crowd of cheering classmates and Clayton holding a bouquet of flowers.
The video has generated more than 1,000 shares on Facebook.
"I was nervous to ask. But he was so happy. Just seeing the smile on his face was worth it to me," Clayton said.
Kus planned to ask Clayton to the dance on the same day, but she beat him to it.
The two are set to go on their prom date on May 20.
