High School Students Throw 100-Year-Old Veteran a Prom After He Missed His for WWII
Illinois resident Ray Svejnoha never thought much about missing his high school prom, what with the distractions the U.S. Army Air Force offered during World War II.
But 82 years later, students and staff at Metea Valley High School in Aurora, Illinois, made it all up to him, according to ABC News.
Carey Peterson, an adviser for the school’s Tech Connect club, worked with a group of six students to ensure Svejnoha made it to this year’s prom.
The students started with a “promposal,” comprised of red, white, and blue balloons; American flags; and a poster saying, “82 years late, but right on time.”
“I cannot tell you how much I appreciate this, and I love you all,” Svejnoha told prom-goers at the event.
Svejnoha, 100, said that choices were different in 1944, according to Naperville Community Television.
“During my younger age, I had a choice of going into the service. And I took two exams, one for the Navy and one for the Army Air Force, and I passed both of them, and I didn’t expect them to be until after I graduated, but … the Army come before that, so I didn’t have too much choice,” he said.
“I was supposed to report for duty, so that is what I did. I never made my prom, so it was sort of secondary in a way, but that’s the way it was at that time,” Svejnoha said.
Peterson said she learned about Svejnoha when he interacted with the school’s club that helps seniors resolve technology issues.
“That’s where my little light bulb went on, and I thought, ‘I think we can help him out with that,’” Peterson said.
“We were all very excited about it,” sophomore Ela Kshirsagar said.
Sponsors pitched in to get Svejnoha a haircut, manicure, and tux.
Svejnoha insisted that the girls who helped him get a sweet reward.
“I said, don’t you think that would be nice if the girls got some flowers? Because they’ve gone through a lot more than I have, and I think that was a nice gesture. And the gentleman or company that donated the flowers, I really like to thank them personally, because I would have bought them anyway too,” Svejnoha said.
Svejnoha was greeted with cheers as he arrived.
“Why them girls were more excited than I was,” Ray Svejnoha said, “but after I heard them, well, I was just about as excited, too, but it was so nice of them to even think about it.”https://t.co/lue0NqZBED
— Naperville Community Television (NCTV17) (@NCTV17) May 14, 2026
“It’s so beautiful to see the connection between generations, and I love that Ray is rightfully getting his prom. Words can’t describe it, honestly,” Peterson said.
“It never approached me that the prom was that important in my lifetime. But when they approached me about it, and the way they said it, why them girls were more excited than I was, but after I heard them, well, I was just about as excited, too, but it was so nice of them to even think about it,” Svejnoha said.
Asked if the event was what he expected, Svejnoha replied, “No. It was better!”
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