The prom has a very special meaning for students. The big party at the end of school is often celebrated in style. Particularly important: a date to accompany you, usually your girlfriend or girlfriend. In any case, it should be a special person.
The Englishwoman Melissa McCabe from near Liverpool thought so too. The 16-year-old became a mother at the age of 15 and had to take care of her son Arthur in addition to school. Despite this, she passed her degree with flying colors. And while her classmates party carefree, Melissa also has to think about other things – such as looking after her child. Unable to find a babysitter for prom night, the student simply took her son and presented him as her date.
The one-year-old boy was decked out in a suit and bow tie and cut an excellent figure. “When prom came around, nobody really cared about him and I wanted him to be a part of it, so I ordered him a suit and took him with me,” Melissa McCabe told the Liverpool Echo. At the party, the little one was of course the star of the evening: “All the teachers told me how great he looks.” Arthur also had fun, the young mother reported.
On TikTok, she uploaded a video with pictures of the evening, including a declaration of love to her son: “Everyone goes to the prom with their boyfriend, I took my greatest gift with me.” The video has since been viewed 1.6 million times on the social media platform. Many users are enthusiastic about the sweet toddler and the courage of the mother. But there is also some negative feedback in the comments. Again and again Melissa McCabe has to put up with jokes or disparaging looks because she became a mother at such a young age.
However, the 16-year-old is trying to break down the stigma that young mothers often suffer from. “Of course I was very young when I got pregnant,” she told the Liverpool Echo. “It was tough because everyone told me I was ruining my life and I wasn’t going to graduate.” Now she has proved everyone wrong, with the support of her brother and sister-in-law. “A lot of people leave comments when I’m with Arthur. A lot of times people think he’s my little brother and when I tell them it’s my kid their whole demeanor towards me changes.”
At her school, on the other hand, she experienced great support, McCabe reported. The teachers would have accompanied her through many difficult times. For her, the ball was the culmination of her school days. Now the 16-year-old would like to start studying in the health and care sector.
Sources: “Liverpool Echo” / Melissa McCabe on TikTok
