WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. — High school senior Nicholas Dester’s bright turquoise patten leather shoes set a tone for an evening full of dancing. A tone of fun.
What You Need To Know
- Tim Tebow’s prom event Night to Shine takes place at churches and schools all over the world
- The night celebrates the unique qualities in everyone and shines a spotlight on those with special needs
- Nicholas Dester is a senior in high school and he said the night sends a message that everyone should be treated equally
Nicholas wasn’t the only one having fun. There was a gym full of teenagers and young adults with various special needs lighting up the dance floor.
They were guests of former University of Florida Gator and Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow and his foundation. There were parties like this taking place all over the world.
Tebow’s event, called “Night to Shine,” provides an outlet for someone like Nicholas, who is on the autism spectrum, to take part in a prom just like any other teenager.
“He’s having the time of his life and that’s exactly what we wanted him to do,” Nicholas’ father, Chris, said. “Just come in here and let loose a little bit, get comfortable and just have a grand time. A grand old time.”
That’s all the Desters want for their son. That’s all any parent of a special needs child wants. For their loved ones to find a place where they can just be themselves and where they are celebrated for their uniqueness. That’s what Tebow’s Night to Shine does. It celebrates the special qualities in all of us.
“He just wants to fit in and he just wants to have fun and he wants to be like other kids,” Tammi Dester, Nicholas’ mother, said. “So it’s amazing to see him in there doing that.”
And while it might look like a group of kids just simply dancing to the latest hit song, it was so much more than that.
“It’s more about showing that we all might be a little different, we’re pretty much just the same people in and out,” Nicholas said.
The night started on the red carpet, with a grand entrance for each guest. A host of greeters cheered on each participant, making them feel extra special.
“When you walk in, you want to just hug everyone that’s in there because they’re all wanting love,” Tammi said.
It was a night full of love. It was a night to let loose. A night to shine. And a night to remind of all how we should celebrate and accept others who aren’t exactly like us, but who want to be treated just like everybody else.
“What it shows tonight is that there are no limits,” Chris said. “I don’t care what the world calls you, if you have enough power, willpower, strength and support to do what you want to be, to become what you want to be, and shine like a night like this, you have it within you.”
