Steve Culbert, an elementary school teacher in Davidson, Michigan, was excited to take his two daughters to the school's Daddy-Daughter Dance. However, after finding out that two of his former students had lost their father a couple weeks earlier, he decided to add them to their group!
As a teacher, Culbert made sure to build a relationship with all of his students and treated them like family. So, when he learned that Luke Reece, father of his two former students, Avery and Alivia, was ill he immediately reached out to the family and visited Luke in the hospital.
Luke had a condition that caused several blood clots, which eventually led to cardiac arrest. After visiting him in the hospital, Culbert realized that Luke wouldn't be healthy enough to take his daughters to the dance. So, being the great person that he is, he asked his daughters, Aliyah and Hailey, if they'd be okay with him inviting the two young girls. The kids loved the idea, so they helped their dad hand-deliver invitations to Alivia and Avery.
Unfortunately Luke passed away the same day the invitations were delivered. Culbert and the girls' family wanted to make sure the kids still got to experience the dance, so they made the decision to still have the girls go to the dance with Culbert...and he made it a night to remember!
With the help of community donations, Culbert booked a limo, hair and nail appoints, and dresses for Alivia and Avery. Plus, there was an extra $500 that was donated to Shelley Reece, the mother of the girls.
The morning of the dance, Culbert and the four girls stopped at Tim Hortons for breakfast, got their hair and nails done, and then arrived at the dance in a limo! The sweetest part? Culbert got four heart shaped balloons, one for each kid, with tags on them that read "#BeLikeLuke" as a way to honor Luke on the special day.