Three 10-Year-Olds with Special Needs Walk Down Aisle at Teacher's Wedding: 'I Was Crying'
Teachers often forge close bonds with their students, especially when they spend more than one year with them. They see each other day in and day out, and they almost become family.
When special needs teacher Colleen Powell was assembling her wedding party, she thought of three young men she taught and knew she had to involve them somehow.
Powell, who teaches at Lakeview Academy in Milledgeville, Georgia, has worked with Korde, Jamoris and Dominic for two years according to WMAZ, and People reports that all three are 10 years old.
When the teacher first proposed the idea to the three boys’ moms, they wondered if she was actually serious.
“My original thought was, ‘She is just saying that to be nice,'” Camellia Hurt, Jamoris’ mother, told WMAZ.
“When she first asked me, I really thought she was just playing,” Shiquana Solomon, Korde’s mom, agreed.
But she was not kidding — those boys meant a lot to her, and it wouldn’t be the same if she didn’t include them.
“Since I don’t have any kids of my own, I call these three my babies,” Powell explained. “They’re just the biggest piece of my heart, and they mean as much to me as my bridesmaids did, and as much as my husband’s groomsmen.”
“They’re just my boys.”
Ingried Banks, Dominic’s mom, was thrilled that her son got to be involved in the ceremony.
“It was just a blessing for her to have our kids in the wedding,” Banks said. “It just shows how much love she has as a teacher. She has unconditional love for her students.”
“Just sitting here thinking about it makes me emotional, because for someone to love your child as much as you do, and it’s hard when you have a child that is nonverbal,” Hurt added.
The boys did a fantastic job, with Dominic walking down the aisle with Powell, and Korde and Jamoris carrying the rings. Korde really got into the swing of things, much to the delight of the attendees.
“Korde danced going down the aisle, he had to bust out a little dance move,” Solomon told Today. “They started clapping. I was happy. I was crying.”
Photographer Eve Latimer was there to catch all those heartfelt moments and immortalize them on film. She had to share the story as well.
“My real life angel bride Colleen Powell is a teacher to children with special needs, and WMAZ 13 will be sharing a story tonight at 11 pm on how she included her precious students in her wedding day!” the photographer shared on Dec. 11. “I am so beyond honored to have captured these sweet moments this past Saturday, and witnessing the love that Colleen has for her kids brought tears to my eyes all night long.”
“So excited to see you on my tv screen, Mrs. Powell!”
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