Sunday Funday Moment: Homecoming proposal pays tribute to Down syndrome student who recently passed

Homecoming season is upon us and for many high school students that means flower, balloons and over the top homecoming proposals.

Jackie Perez, a sophomore at Eastwood High School, wanted to honor her 6-year-old cousin when it came time to putting together her homecoming proposal for one of her high school friends.

Jackie’s cousin, Cati, had down syndrome and sadly passed away this past Summer.

In honor of her cousin, Jackie started an online hashtag called, ‘Live Like Cati.’

It’s Jackie’s way of encouraging others to show love to the world just like her baby cousin did.

“When we are living like Cati we share it to remind others to love one another. To remind others no one gets left behind,” said Jackie.

She decided to ask for help when it came time to putting her homecoming proposal together for her high school friend, Michael Ramirez.

Michael is a freshman at Eastwood High School who has down syndrome and serves as the freshman football team manager.

Before the proposal, Jackie spoke with the Eastwood girls basketball coach, Coach Rogers, and the freshman football coach, Coach Douglas, to see if they could gather the girl’s basketball team and the freshman football team together to make this proposal possible, and they did just that.

A video posted on Twitter shows the moment Michael’s name is called out while the students are gathered outside on the track field.

In the video you can see the students placing lays on Michael one by one.

Soon after, students begin walking out showing signs that lead up to the sweet homecoming proposal.

The signs read, “Minnie has Mickey, Lilo has Stitch. I think I have the perfect pitch. Ohana means nobody gets left behind. A date for homecoming. Would be so kind.”

After the final sign, Jackie walks out dressed similar to the Disney charachter Lilo. She goes up to Michael and gives him a hug and the crowd of students begin cheering.

Although the video has been liked over 13,000 times on twitter, Jackie said that she didn’t do the proposal for attention or recognition, she did it to ‘Live Like Cati.’

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KVIA