Doctor Can No Longer Treat 15-Year-Old's Rare Cancer, Bus Driver Sends Her to 'Dream' Prom
When a community comes together in love, it is a beautiful thing to witness indeed. And when the community of Westfield, Indiana, came together in support of one young girl, her reaction was everything.
Presley Long is 15 years old and has a form of cancer called GNET. This soft tissue sarcoma is rare, and sadly the doctors at Riley Hospital have done all they can for the teen.
As most of her freshman year has been spent inside the hospital’s walls, it is fitting that Presley would want to end her first year of high school on a happy note.
That happy note just so happens to be Westfield High School’s prom, a night many girls dream of from the moment they first try on a pair of their mom’s high-heeled shoes.
Of course, with the costs of Presley’s medical expenses, giving this girl her dream prom probably seemed far-fetched for her family.
That’s why Westfield bus driver and longtime friend of the family, Robin Luehrmann, decided to reach out her local community on social media.
“I’m like, this beautiful little girl. You know, she just wants to go to prom,” Luehrmann told Fox 59. But she never imagined the response she would receive.
The April 12 Facebook post begins, “There is a 15 yr old freshman that wants the prom of all proms… she has been under intense chemo for a very rare and aggressive sarcoma cancer.”
Luehrmann goes on to ask for ideas on how to make the night “magical” for Presley. She will even have a pair of Cinderella shoes, thanks to some fairy godmother bus drivers.
“We’ve got somebody already buying the corsage,” Luehrmann shared. “Somebody bought the prom ticket, we’ve got a photographer doing a fundraiser, where the couples can go over to Field Brewing for a $10 donation.”
The Prom Photos for Presley Fundraiser will be held on April 27. All proceeds raised will go to Presley’s family to help with medical expenses.
The GoFundMe campaign for Presley’s prom night raised nearly $1,500 in under 2 weeks. “We’re just blessed to have so many people reach out to us and offer anything,” Austin Miller, Presley’s step-father, told Fox 59.
Presley can’t wait to share her special night with her friends. “Giving you something to look forward to in a hard time like this,” she said through tears, “it takes your mind off all the pain and the suffering.”
Liftable, a section of The Western Journal, has reached out to Robin Luehrmann for comment but has not yet received a response. We will update this article if and when we do.
What a precious girl and a precious community she lives in! I am sure the photos will be completely spectacular.
But even more than that, they will be a memory of her loving, caring family and friends who came alongside her and made her dreams come true.
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
