Awesome - Girl That Loses Her Father Before Daddy-Daughter Dance Gets The Most Heartwarming Gift
Avey Cox, like every other girl in her Arkansas elementary school, had the excitement for the end-of-the-year daddy-daughter dance somersaulting through her mind. However, with only a few months until the big night, the 8-year-old's dreams crashed to the ground when her father suddenly passed away. With no hope of attending the event, Avey was left inconsolable — until her luck seemingly started to turn.
Life Was Good For Avey Cox
To say Avey Cox was one of the happiest girls at school was an understatement. She wore a smile every day, had tons of friends who looked up to her, and always wowed teachers with her enthusiasm. Life in Arkansas was good.
A Special Night Approaches
The 8-year-old attended Central Elementary School in the city of Van Buren, where her family also lived. Every year the school threw a special event specifically for the girls, and the date was approaching. Avey was beyond excited.
Annual Father-Daughter Dance
It was the annual father-daughter dance, and Avey could not wait to bring her dad Corey along to share a night she'd remember forever. Unfortunately, that holiday season left her dreams decimated.
Tragedy Strikes Hard
Corey died suddenly, ripping Avey's family apart. She and her mother were now alone, and she'd miss out on the dance. But most tragic of all, Avey was now missing a good friend. "They were very close,” Avey’s mom, Angelia Bernard, told TODAY.
What's in the Cards
Even dealing with the loss of her father, Avey couldn't help but think about the father-daughter dance. She wasn't going to get to go, and worse, she was going to have to constantly talk about why. She didn't know, however, what Van Buren police chief Jamie Hammond (below) was doing behind the scenes.
An Email To The Rescue
He sent an email to school resource officers in the area suggesting they step in, if possible, to help offer guidance to students lacking father figures. As luck would have it, one officer volunteered immediately.
An Officer Swoops In
When Nicol Harvey, the officer at Avey's own Central Elementary School, learned of the girl's situation, he had a special plan. So, he pitched it to Avey's mother and hoped for the best.
Standing In For Dad
He wanted to stand in for Avey's dad at the dance! Harvey would ensure a night of much-needed fun, something the girl desperately craved after losing her parent. Avey's mom was completely on board with the plan — but Harvey himself was nervous.
Butterflies
That's because he had to actually ask Avey himself if she wanted to go with him! The on-campus officer spent all day at work getting up the nerves to ask the 8-year-old. Then, at lunch, he saw her sitting at the lunch table.
Two Dreams Come True
He nearly chickened out, but knew he had to ask. Even though Harvey had three grown daughters of his own, he never had the opportunity to attend their school dances. He saw this as the perfect chance to make two dreams come true!
The Ask
"She was sitting at the lunch table," Harvey recalled, "and I walked up and said, 'Hey, did you talk to your mom?' And she said, 'Yeah.' And I'm like, 'Would you like to be my date for the daddy-daughter dance," and so she's like 'yes' and I was like 'phew.'" So, he went to work.
Planning the Day
Harvey wanted the night to be one Avey would never forget. He went out and secured a few surprise gifts for the student and practiced a few dance moves. Every time Avey saw him at school, she reminded him how many days until the dance.
An Even Bigger Surprise
When the big day arrived, Nicol Harvey put on his best suit and went over to Avey's house. The smiling couple posed for photos, and then Harvey presented his date with something no one, not even her mom, saw coming.
Check Out That Whip
See, when Harvey arrived at Avey's house, he was driving a police cruiser! The 8-year-old thought she was going to have the best ride to the dance out of the entire school. But then the duo's real ride showed up.
Pulling Out The Stops
Avey's jaw hit the ground in awe as a massive stretch Hummer pulled around the corner and stopped in front of her home. This was their ride! Harvey pulled out all the stops when it came the evening's event. And he wasn't done yet.
Party Like A Rock Star
He even made savvy fashion choices, admitting he "bought a new tie and handkerchief to match Avey’s dress and I ordered a corsage." Avey felt like a rock star, but nothing compared to the excitement once they arrived.
Living It Up!
The music was pumping, the kids were laughing, and everyone was getting funky on the dance floor! Avey was living out a night she never thought possible. But, the night nearly took a nose dive when one student asked Avey a pointed question.
"Tonight I'm Her Dad"
The student asked Avey if Harvey was her dad. "No, this is our school resource officer,” she said. Harvey couldn't help but smile a bit. “I looked at Avey, and then I said, ‘Well, tonight I’m her dad.’”
Happiness
At the end of the night, the father of three was completely smitten with his young date to the dance. "I know she’s not my kid," he said, "but for a couple of hours it felt like she really was. I even get to twirl her." But Harvey had more surprises in store!
Making The News
After the dance, Harvey took Avey out for some ice cream! "It was nice to watch Avey just taking it all in," Harvey proudly stated. The entire gesture was so special that Avey even made the news!
An Unbreakable Bond
The local media outlets could not get enough of the fantastic night that Harvey's touching act of kindness created for both he and Avey. Before the dance, Harvey was simply Avey's school resource officer. Now, their relationship was something more.
"Best Night Ever"
"We’ve really become best friends through all this," Harvey said. Avey's mom could not have been more thankful, as well. "It was such a bright spot. Avey keeps saying it was the best night ever.”
An Important Message For Parents
Harvey teared up during an interview afterward. "Enjoy your kids. Appreciate their childhood because they won't be little for very long." The night even had a potential impact on Avey's future career!
One Kind Act's Potential
Avey expressed interest in someday taking her life down the path of law enforcement, hoping to one day earn a badge herself! Officers that went out of their way to help everyone were especially interesting to Avey.
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