WATCH: It’s what many graduating high school students spend years waiting for. Preparations are often elaborate and expensive. Hairstyles, makeup and fine clothing can make prom night particularly special. But for a Nanaimo teen, the final days leading up to the big event have been far from perfect as her prom dress has been stolen. Kori Sidaway reports.
Claudia Yaya said the prom dress she picked out was the perfect colour.
“When I saw this dress, like when we saw this house, and when I saw my mother’s truck, I just knew it was the one,” Yaya said.
Yaya’s prom is this weekend, and she was excited for her Cinderella moment.
“I’m going into my Bachelor of Science, so I’m going to be a bookworm for the next four years of my life. I just wanted to have one day where I could forget about my hard courses and just look pretty for that one day,” said Yaya.
But Yaya never saw the dress she had custom tailored for her. It was snatched from her back porch 30 minutes after delivery.
“I’ve ordered stuff online before several times, and it’s sitting right there. It hasn’t happened before. That’s the first time. Why now, why her prom stuff, why on the last minute…why why why?” asked Yaya’s mother Solange Gham.
“I had picked up extra shifts at work and saved up for it, got ready for this day and it was all ruined in 30 minutes that someone decided for them to take something that wasn’t theirs,” said Yaya.
Yaya said she was also excited for her mom to see her in her dress.
“My mom didn’t have a prom, mom didn’t graduate because we moved here from Cameroon, Africa. She wanted for me to have this moment and be proud and take pictures, and just wanted me to have this moment in life,” said Yaya.
She is holding out hope that someone may return it.
“Please bring it back, if you have a conscience. Because this day means everything to me. Some people don’t care about prom but I had such a rough year, this was the one thing I just wanted to smile through the whole thing,” said Yaya.
Regardless, she’s remaining strong.
“No matter what happens, I just want to have a great prom. I don’t want to look back in 15, 30 years to say because someone ruined my prom, I didn’t go. I want to prove to the world, that no matter what happens, even if it’s the worst or the best moment, just make the best of it,” said Yaya.
CHEK News
