HOUSTON — In the grand scheme of things, missing a senior prom and graduation might not seem like the biggest problem. However, when you’re 18 like Ariana Salinas is, it sure is a disappointment.
Salinas is a senior at Cypress Christian School in Houston. Like most students in Greater Houston during the COVID-19 pandemic, she’s been learning online at home for several weeks.
“I was really looking forward to it being the best year,” Ariana said. said. “Then all this came in, and it was really upsetting.”
Her parents say she never complains, but they know it’s been tough on their daughter.
"(I’ve) just sitting there thinking about her,” said Araceli Salinas, Ariana’s mother, “It keeps me up at night, because she’s not going to have that. And I think they really truly deserve to have those moments.”
Her mom and dad did something special to surprise Ariana. While dad, Bryan Salinas, drove Ariana around for three hours, Mom got to work decorating their home.
The front windows were decked with the phrase “Class of 2020.” Inside the home was adorned with twinkle lights, garland, balloons, a homemade photobooth and more. Because Ariana didn’t have a prom dress, her mother hung her own prom dress from decades ago from the ceiling for Ariana to wear.
“It was a perfect fit,” Araceli Salinas said. “It was so emotional for me to watch her in it.”
The surprise was captured on video. In the background, the Jason Mraz song “Have It All” can be heard with the line, “May you know the meaning of the word 'happiness,'” playing at the exact moment Ariana and her mother embrace, both crying.
“I started crying, because I realized like how much time my mom took to do all this for me, and it was really amazing," Ariana said.
Ariana slow danced with dad, who also dressed up for the occasion, then spent nearly three hours dancing and making TikTok videos with her parents and two brothers.
It wasn’t the prom Ariana had imagined, but made with love, it proved to be better.
“It was just very very special to me, and I will never forget it as long as I live," Ariana said. "It was a perfect night, and I loved it.”
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