A public homecoming proposal at Esperanza High School in Anaheim generated the applause of dozens of student onlookers, and then a video of the touching event went on to reach millions of people across the country.
The 30-second video, posted to Twitter Sept. 25, shows a blond-haired girl clap her hand over her mouth in shock as a young man, holding flowers, stands next to a pink banner asking her to the dance.
“April, it would be SWEEET if you went to HC with me,” the banner reads.
April, 18, jumps up to accept the flowers and gets a hug from the man who wants to be her date. Cheers and screams erupt.
The two students, classmates April Clark and 15-year-old Sean Boots, both have Down syndrome, their families told KTLA.
The video was tweeted out by Melissa Clark, sister to April, on Sept. 25. By this Monday, about 2 1/2 weeks later, it had been retweeted some 43,500 times and favorited more than 54,000 times.
Internet video personality Antonio Lievano, aka SoFloAntonio, posted the video on his Facebook page a day after Melissa tweeted it out, and the post has been viewed more than 9 million times since.
The invitation was in part planned by Melissa and Ally Boots, Sean’s sister, who is seen in the video nudging Sean forward as two other students unfurl the banner. All the siblings go to Esperanza High.
The Clark sisters’ mother, Christine Clark, told the Orange County Register that April has bought a sparkly black dress, make-up and new shoes for the dance.
“She’s never had a boy asked her to a dance. She was so over the moon,” Christine Clark told the newspaper.
“We were just so excited for April. She can’t wait,” Christine Clark told KTLA. “She was really excited that a boy asked her to go to a dance very formally.”
The pair have been friends for several years but became closer when Sean began going to high school with April, a senior.
“He asked me. He got me a sign, he got me flowers, he got me some candy,” April recalled. “He was so cute. He is so adorable.”
Speaking Monday about their viral video appearances and their homecoming plans, Sean initially insisted that there would be “no dancing” at the homecoming soiree, but April said they planned to “boogie” to Katy Perry.
April Clark has been named one of five homecoming princesses at the school, according to the Register. One of those five will be named as queen during half-time of the Oct. 16 homecoming game.
cutest homecoming proposal ever!!😍 @ilovebowling pic.twitter.com/I6j7pJ7hMw
— missy (@missyforev22) September 25, 2015
My brother has the cutest Homecoming date💘👑 pic.twitter.com/okD37Fmgyw
— ally (@allyyboots) September 25, 2015