A disabled girl who doesn’t have a prom date is in for a surprise when her dad decides to take her. The reward he receives the next day, recognizing his love for his daughter, changes their lives forever.
“Molly, look! Your dad’s here!” someone said to the 17-year-old girl, who was grieving beside her mother Daisy’s coffin.
Molly’s parents, Danny and Daisy, had divorced ten years ago. Since then, Molly had only heard bad things about her father—like that he was a “drunk” and other negative things.
Though Molly didn’t hold any bitterness toward Danny, she often missed having a father-daughter bond. But after her mom’s funeral, things were about to change for her…
“Hey, sweetheart!” Danny greeted Molly, hugging her before he placed a wreath on his ex-wife’s coffin.
“Sir, is that truck yours? It’s blocking half the parking. Could you move it?” a guest asked Danny, who worked as a truck driver.
“Yeah, that’s my truck. Gimme a second. I’ve just met my daughter. Thanks!” Danny said.
Danny was thrilled to meet Molly. For years, the only connection he had with her was through the child support payments he sent. Her mother, Daisy, never allowed him to visit Molly, fearing he would be a bad influence.
Once the funeral was over, and everyone had left, Danny packed Molly’s things and told her she would be coming to his house.
“A package? Who sent it?” he wondered, seeing a parcel in his mailbox. It had a card on it saying, “For Dad of the Year.”
“But why, Dad? I can’t leave this house. Mom and I lived here. It holds all our memories,” Molly said.
Molly frowned, but Danny wouldn’t budge. He didn’t want to leave her alone, especially since she sometimes needed a wheelchair when she wasn’t using crutches. Due to an issue with her left leg since age six, Molly walked with a limp.
Two days later, Molly moved in with her dad. Though the house was small and a bit messy, she felt comforted, loved, and welcome.
Danny struggled to care for Molly since he hadn’t been around as she grew up. He wasn’t sure how to handle some things, like braiding her hair, so he learned by watching online videos.
He even gave up his own bedroom so Molly could have a comfortable space, complete with a new, fluffy bed. Danny did everything to make her feel at home, though he kept his late-night absences a secret.
Molly didn’t know where her dad went each night after she fell asleep, though she guessed he might be out with friends, just as her mother used to say.
A few days later, Molly came home from school crying. She found the door locked with a note saying, “The keys are under the pot. I’ll be back soon. See you! – Dad.”
Molly scowled, remembering her mom’s stories about her dad’s “odd” evening habits. She assumed he’d gone out drinking.
Hours passed, but Danny didn’t return. Molly made herself some pasta and saved some for him, then went to bed, crying.
“If only I were normal, I wouldn’t be left out. I could have found a date for the prom,” she thought.
Her teacher had announced the upcoming prom, and all her classmates had found dates—except for her. She thought, “Who would want to dance with someone who has a limp?”
Molly cried so loudly that Danny heard her as soon as he got home.
“What’s wrong, honey? Why are you crying?” he asked.
Molly explained that she had no prom date. “I even asked a few boys if one would dance with me, but they just laughed. I don’t want to go to prom, Dad. I just want to be alone.”
She turned away, pretending to sleep as her tears soaked her pillow.
Danny couldn’t bear to see his daughter so sad. The next day, he bought her a beautiful prom dress. And on prom day, Molly was in for a touching surprise: her dad was taking her to prom.
As seniors and their parents gathered outside the hall, Danny arrived in his truck, catching everyone’s attention. He stepped down, set up a wheelchair on the red carpet, and helped Molly out, pushing her into the hall as everyone watched in admiration.
Danny took Molly to the dance floor and swirled her around in sync with the music. For a moment, Molly forgot about her limp as she laughed and danced in her dad’s arms.
“My dad is my hero. I love him more than anything. I feel blessed to be his daughter,” she told her friends afterward.
Danny was the center of attention, with parents gathering around to praise him. He shared a bit about his life with Molly, unaware that this night would soon change everything for them.
Later, as they returned home, they talked about their amazing night. Danny put Molly to bed and quietly slipped out of the house.
Danny had been working a second job as a caregiver at a nursing home. Besides his truck-driving job, he worked overtime to save for Molly’s treatment. When Molly was diagnosed with her disability, doctors had said she might never walk, but one specialist had given him hope, promising treatment to help her walk.
Danny stopped going to bars with his friends and took on two jobs to save for her surgery. Daisy misunderstood and assumed he was out drinking. Her doubts and arguments led to their divorce. But Danny stayed focused on saving for Molly’s surgery.
That night, while driving to work, Danny couldn’t stop thinking about the past and Daisy’s misunderstandings. He finished his shift and returned home to a surprise waiting for him and Molly.
That morning, Danny found a package in his mailbox.
“A package? Who sent this?” he wondered. A card on it read, “Dad of the Year!”
Inside, Danny found a check for $10,000 and a note:
“Dear Danny, we hope this helps improve your daughter’s life. Best of luck with her surgery, and we hope you spend more time with her. Best Wishes, Your Prom Friends.”
Danny realized that the parents he’d met at prom had sent the money. He burst into tears of joy and shared the news with Molly.
“Really?! Oh, my gosh, Dad…This is incredible!” she laughed and cried in his arms.
With the savings and the $10,000 check, Molly got her surgery, which was a success. Slowly, she began to walk without crutches.
Danny quit his second job to spend more time with Molly. She earned a scholarship to study architecture in another state and was leaving in three months.
In those months, Danny taught her how to cook, dance, ride a bike, and even run. He wanted her to live a happy life and never look back on her days in a wheelchair or with crutches.