Community steps up to help high school student on autism spectrum find last-minute senior prom date

PITTSBURGH — Next month, hundreds of Brashear High School students will be dressed in their best to attend one final celebration: the senior prom.

Jordan Daugherty, a senior in the autistic support program at the school, planned to attend the event, but earlier this week his date backed out, so his mom turned to Facebook for help.

Now because of one social media-savvy mom her son won’t be left out.

“We had a few days to confirm buying the tickets, two days,” explained Jordan’s mom, Dawna Daugherty.

So, Daugherty sent out an S.O.S Facebook post.

“I cried because this is a once in a lifetime [opportunity], this is something he will do once. We want it to be literally everything,” she said.

To Daugherty’s surprise that post was shared more than 1,000 times and with hundreds of comments, from classmates to strangers, all wanting to be Jordan’s lucky prom date.

“I never expected it to be shared over 1,200 times so yeah that was just overwhelming,” said Daugherty.

Daugherty said it wasn’t very hard to pick a new date partially because Jordan has gained quite a reputation at school. Jordan, who is non-verbal and uses devices to communicate, shows off his personality weekly by dressing up as his favorite characters.

His new date, a junior at the school, had taken notice.

“I would love to go with him,” said Izabella Schmidtt. “I see him all the time, and his jigsaw costume was my favorite. He just brings a smile to everyone’s face,” she added.

" I couldn’t have picked a better date, I just feel like this was fate,” said Mom.

And when we asked Jordan, he too expressed his excitement about his new date by responding with a thumbs-up.

As far as, an outfit, Jordan’s mom said this time his costume will be his best yet: himself.

“He is going to be a very dapper version of Jordan Daugherty because that’s his night to make his memories as Jordan,” Daugherty said.

Jordan told Channel 11 News he will be sure to impress with his new date on his special night, explaining the evening with one word.

“Dapper,” he said.

The event is scheduled for May 25 and will be held at the Carnegie Science Center.

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