Teens Struggling Dad Works Hard to Make Ends Meet - So She Takes a 25-Mile Detour to Do This Before Prom

When you’re a teen, prom is a big deal. It’s a chance to get dressed up and hang out with your friends while celebrating all of the hard work in high school that brought you to this moment. The memory is also a big deal for parents, though. It’s a chance to see your kid all grown up in their best dancing gear. To miss that send-off can be an emotional experience.

So when one daughter went out of her way to ensure her father didn’t miss her big night, it inspired others and went viral.

A Hardworking Father

An 18-year-old named Vanessa Macedo in California knew how hard her parents worked to take care of her and her siblings. Her father had been previously injured and was now selling fruit from a stand in order to make ends meet.

As prom approached, she didn’t want to ask him for anything. She even asked her brother for help in purchasing her dress so that her dad didn’t feel pressured.

Still, the father knew prom was approaching, and he was excited to see his little girl attend the big event. Unfortunately, prom was on a weekend, and that happened to be the busiest time at the fruit stand. The dad knew he had to work, so he resigned himself to seeing Macedo all dolled up later in the photos.

A Giant Surprise

Secretly, Macedo knew how much her dad wanted to see her, so she hatched a plan. After getting ready for the big night, she went 25 miles out of her way to visit him at the stand and surprised him with a touching moment.

Someone recorded the heartfelt exchange that followed, and Macedo later shared it on Twitter.

“My dad was upset that he couldn’t see me on my prom day so I decided to surprise him..and let me just say, I love being his ‘güerita,’” she captioned the video.

Millions of people saw and shared the post, commenting on the special father-daughter relationship and how sweet it was to witness the pair have that moment together.

“I am sorry that I wasn’t able to get her what she wanted, I love her,” the dad later told ABC News.

“He has always been such a hard worker and I am very blessed to have a dad like him,” Macedo told BuzzFeed News. “I didn’t think anyone would love [the video] as much as me and my dad, but I’m glad they have,” she added.

Making the Memories

This story is so special because it highlights the bond between a father and a daughter, but it also reminds us that sometimes we have to be responsible for making memories. It would have been easy for Macedo to shrug off the fact that her dad had to work or to just be bummed out about it.

Instead, she went out of her way to create a special memory that she and her father will probably cherish for the rest of their lives. It’s a nudge for us to try and do the same thing in our lives a little more, too.

Sometimes, we just have to make the call, plan the trip, or go out of our way to be with a loved one. In the moment it can be a hassle to put in the extra effort, especially when life gets in the way. But at the end of the day we never really know how much time we have with our loved ones, so let’s make the most of the moments we do have.

After all, no one ever regrets spending more time with someone they love.

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