7-YEAR-OLD THREW HIS NANNY A PROM AFTER HERS WAS CANCELED

A 7-year-old boy in North Carolina threw a backyard prom for his babysitter after the pandemic wiped out her senior prom. Curtis Rogers hosted the socially distanced mini-prom on May 25, 2020, for Rachel Chapman, 17, a senior at Sanderson High School in Raleigh, because he wanted to cheer her up and see her after two months apart, ABC News reported.

Rachel had looked after Curtis part-time for more than a year. She picked him up from school, took him to the playground and piano lessons, and helped with his homework. Then pandemic safety measures put the babysitting on hold, and the two didn’t see each other for two months.

“She has become apart of our family … he absolutely adores her,” Curtis’ mom, Elissa Rogers, told “Good Morning America.” “She’s a just great person with good heart so it’s been a blessing to have her helping us out with Curtis.”

A seven-year-old’s prom planning

When senior events came to a halt, Elissa Rogers explained to her son that Rachel couldn’t have a prom. “His response was, ‘We can throw a mini prom’ and it grew from there,” she said.

Curtis took the job seriously. “I planned it out because Rachel probably wanted to see me a lot,” he told 6abc. He added, “She also is one of the best people I’ve known.”

The invitation was a hand-made sign, which CBS News quoted. It read: “Mini prom is not today, but will you join me on Monday.”

Rachel admitted the build-up was a little sad. She told FOX 13: “I was kind of like bummed putting my dress on because I was sad; I don’t get to wear it to my senior prom.”

Curtis was waiting outside when she arrived, holding a pool noodle. “First he was waiting outside when we got there with the pool noodle and then he led me into the backyard,” Rachel said.

The noodle was not a prop. It was the social distancing system, a 6-foot one, and ABC News said jump ropes helped keep the pair apart too.

Curtis wore a suit and a bow tie chosen to match Rachel’s dress, TIME reported. Google provided the music, playing Rachel’s favorite songs, according to 6abc.

The menu was built around what the two usually enjoy together. Peanut butter and apples were the appetizer, Chick-fil-A was the main course and smoothies were dessert.

“He had all my favorite foods and everything. I could tell he put a lot of thought into it,” Rachel said.

Curtis opened the evening with a toast to Rachel, and the two danced at a safe distance.

Rachel had no idea any of it was coming. “I was so surprised,” she told “Good Morning America.” “I had no idea he was going to go all out. It was very thoughtful and sweet.”

She also told FOX 13 that it was the first time she had seen Curtis in two months. “It was like, really fun, and I’m really glad that he did that,” she said.

Her mother, Becky Chapman, said: “It was a sweet thing for him to do. They have a special relationship.”

From backyard to viral

Becky Chapman posted photos of the evening on Twitter, and the post had more than 12,000 likes by May 29, 2020.

Curtis’ parents also put photos on Facebook, and ABC News reported on June 2, 2020, that the story had gone viral. Rachel was due to start at East Carolina University that fall to study public health.