GALT, Calif. — The official start of prom season isn’t until spring, but some students got a head start around the country celebrating a ‘Night to Shine.’
The annual event is hosted to give the full prom experience to those with special needs or have experienced life altering events. It was created by the Tim Tebow Foundation and Galt’s event was locally executed by the Horizon Community Church in Lodi.
“This year, we have 46 plus people that never experienced it before. So that's awesome,” said senior pastor Time Stevenson.
This is the Lodi/Galt area’s seventh year hosting the event. The first tim they hosted it, there were about 75 honorary guests — this year it’s double.
“This is one night that we can celebrate not only the kids, but the parents because it's an age from 14 to there's no limit on time,” said Stevenson.
Angel Renteria was seriously injured after being hit by a car while walking her dog in Galt. The accident caused her serious brain and body injuries.
She spent weeks in the ICU, then five months in the hospital before returning home, no longer able to walk or talk.
"The journey has been long and hard and raw," said Kelly Carr, Angel’s mother. "It's has changed our lives completely up, as like, uprooted our whole life."
Angel was escorted from home in a limo by Galt Police Department officers who also walked her down the red carpet.
"I think she loves the spotlight. I think it makes her feel really happy to know that everyone's here supporting her," said Jadelyn Crost, Angel's friend.
Her escort was organized by Mothers Against Drunk Driving who helped solve her case and led officials to make an arrest using DNA evidence.
“This was a life altering situation for Angel. She does not attend regular mainstream school anymore, her whole entire life is different,” said Rhonda Campbell with MADD. “But tonight, she got to walk the red carpet, she got to be crowned prom queen and she got to attend a prom”
The event was free for guests and their families to have a night they won’t forget.
