When AJ Spader, 15, thought about who he’d like to take to his first high school formal dance, he only had one girl in mind.
His dying sister, Rebekah.
Rebekah, 10, suffers from a myelodysplastic syndrome, a condition that disrupts the production of blood cells in bone marrow. It’s very rare in children, but Rebekah has a severe case. Several treatments have been unsuccessful, and her family has grown accustomed to the fact that Rebekah may not ever see a full life.
So AJ decided that instead of worrying about how many days his sister has left, he wanted to make sure that she enjoyed the days she does have.
“She’s most likely not going to be able to experience high school. So, I just thought why not ask her to the formal,” AJ told KSFY. He painted the motto “unbroken, brave, and blessed” on a big banner to ask her to the dance, and Rebekah obliged.
“Rebeka and AJ have a close relationship and he has a really big heart,” said mom Stephanie. She said AJ wanted to “allow her to do something that she wouldn’t get to do.”
The family made the preparations for the big dance into a production, with Rebekah’s grandmother styling Rebekah’s hair and another sister helping with the makeup. The entire day was spent pampering and prepping.
“What girl doesn’t love getting dressed up and beautiful,” said Stephanie. The family spent hours helping Rebekah get ready for the Valentine’s Day formal dance.
“I want to spend as much time with her as possible while she’s still doing good,” AJ said.
“It’s fun to watch her live a part of life where the disease doesn’t creep in, where she is just excited to be going and doing something,” says dad Tony. “A lot of the time it was a joyful moment, and yet there was a little sorrow.”
But AJ wanted to make sure that his sister was able to enjoy the full formal experience, and so he busted out all the stops.
AJ and Rebekah posed for pictures in their fancy clothes before the dance, with Rebekah donning a princess tiara. AJ and his friends then took Rebekah out to a big dinner with AJ’s classmates and their dates.
“AJ and his friends embraced her and embraced the situation and didn’t blink twice that a little 10-year-old sister was going to hang out with them,” said Stephanie. “That for me was the most special thing.”
When asked when who her first dance was going to be, Rebekah said “AJ.” The Spader family is just happy that Rebekah can have a dance at all.
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
