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Last Thursday night, children with special needs at an orphanage in Haiti were surprised with a prom, thanks to football star Tim Tebow. Night to Shine is an international event sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation. The goal is to give teens with special needs their own prom, complete with red carpets, paparazzi, and dancing. This year, Night to Shine took place in more than 200 churches in 48 states — and around the world — over Valentine's Day weekend.
“My inspiration was when I was 15 years old and I was at a school in a remote village in the Philippines. There was a boy who was shunned out of the event because his feet were on backwards,"Tebow told ABC's Good Morning America."What we want to do is fight for the people who can’t fight for themselves. That’s what it’s all about."
The festivities kicked off at 6 p.m. local time at the myLIFEspeaks campus in the small village of Neply, Haiti. Most of the children at the prom were brought by their caregivers and "buddies."
Photographer Sara Beth Turner told Refinery29 that, "All participants were crowned as either king or queen, as [Tim] Tebow noted that 'in the kingdom of God, all are royalty.'"
The next morning, Turner noted that "they were proudly still wearing their crowns and corsages."
She explained that in Haiti, children with special needs are often abandoned, shunned, and forced to live orphanages. She said of the prom event, "For the majority, if not all, of these children, it’s the first time in their life they were able to not only dress up, but also be celebrated and honored."
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"Naika insisted she was as strong as Tim and wanted to prove it by lifting him on her back," Turner says. "He was standoffish about the offer at first, but when she hoisted him up, everyone clapped."
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A van from an orphanage three hours away came packed to the brim with all of their special needs children. Tim helped load them out and walked or carried them down the red carpet.
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Cami, a child being loved and cared for by the myLIFEspeaks organization, and her caregiver were "living it up" in their matching red dresses.
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Tim cheering on Marlene as she was walking the red carpet. Everyone cheered as the guests paraded down the red carpet one by one.
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Cami's red carpet moment. Look at that smile!
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Prom-night dinner included chicken, beans, rice, and plantains.
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In this photo, Malachi, a child with cerebral palsy, is showing Tim how to dance by lifting one arm and waving it wildly.
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Fiona, who has severe cataracts, was basking in the glow of all the lights.
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Two children from an orphanage enjoying a slow dance.
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"Marlene's father tapped me on the shoulder and pointed to her as she was dancing. 'That is my daughter' he said proudly. It was then that I realized the impact of the prom went far beyond just the children. For the first time ever, this dad was able to take his daughter to a dance," Turner said.
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Cami dancing with Jess, a resident nurse at the myLIFEspeaks clinic.
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Clivens, like any true prom king, partied out.
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