She dressed up as a Storm Trooper to ask a boy with special needs to prom. But it didn't end there.
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 ก.พ. 2025
- IDAHO FALLS - Teenagers in eastern Idaho often get creative when asking a date to prom.
But 15-year-old Shiane Ritchie went above and beyond to help a boy she had never met have a night he’ll likely never forget.
Shiane recently learned about a “Special Needs Prom” being held in Idaho Falls and she heard about Ian Taow Benjamin, a 15-year-old Bonneville High School student.
Ian loves Star Wars. So does Shiane. Ian is autistic. Shiane has worked around children with autism for nearly seven years.
So she decided to ask Ian to the prom - in a way they both would love.
“She came to decorate his room with posters and a T-shirt and a Darth Vader cake that said, ‘The Force has a big surprise for you,'” Ian’s mother, Rachel Taow Benjamin, tells EastIdahoNews.com. “(A few days later) she showed up to our house dressed as a Storm Trooper - like in a legit costume.”
Ian was shocked, and when Shiane asked him to be her date, he instantly said, “Yes!”
But the surprises didn’t end there.
“The night of prom she came in a limo,” Taow Benjamin recalls. “It was so awesome.”
The big event was held May 5 at the Pinecrest Event Center. Ian and Shiane danced, ate refreshments, took photos together and created special memories.
“It’s kind of great,” Ian says. “We danced to ‘Moana’ and ‘Beat It.'”
Stacy Richie, Shiane’s mother, says her daughter has always had a special place in her heart for people with autism.“She’s been babysitting them since she was 8 years old,” Richie says. “She’s been bullied before so she attracts those kind of kids and takes care of them.”
For Feel Good Friday this week, EastIdahoNews.com and Ashley Home Furniture surprised Shiane during her Spanish class at Taylorview Middle School. Shiane’s mother, along with Ian and his parents, came along to thank her for making a difference.
After giving her some flowers and gift cards, Shiane said the prom “was so much fun” and she plans to go again.
“Autistic people are just so caring and they don’t get treated very well. I thought it would be nice to take him and I’m so glad I did,” she said.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE TO SEE THE SURPRISE!
If you have a Feel Good Friday idea, please email nate.eaton@eastidahonews.com.
We need more people like her
I’m not talking about being nice I’m talking about girls willing to dress up as storm troopers
The gaming this girl.would love my son he's autistic has ADHD and is massive huge fan of starwars
70th like
Yes.
@@juanitaauelua2693 what if your boy and the guy in the video became friends???
I want a girl to make me a cake bruh
_”See you at the restaurant”_ ~ that was smooth, Ian, very smooth..
Nothing like a man that knows what he want out of life!!! 🥰🤗🙌🏿
Dudes got swagger hes barely tapped into
I loved that 😆👏🏼🥰
He's the man😁
Haha that was awsome
You know a girl is special when she dresses up as a stormtrooper and asks you out. Life truely is mysterious
200 likes and no replies
life has cool twists and turns sometimes i’d be amazed if a girl dressed up to ask me to prom lmao
See you at the restaurant, kid has more game than most people who thinks they do.
-1 IQ after reading that
I thinks so too, we thinks aswell
Her parents raised her right! Wonderful!
In the last year, I took a job in an association that provides services to people with autism. Never give much thought before. These folks aren't just special needs, they are special!!
"Thank you hun" omg so cute
You could tell how much his Mom appreciated her with that hug at the end.
And people clown on disabled people from getting anywhere. This guy with special needs had a beautiful girl dress up a stormtrooper, rent a LIMO just to take this man to Prom.
Yes that guy got a better girl than I will ever get
@@leealvin121 Dont be so hard on yourself, im sure out of the almost 8 billion people out there at least one will love you.
@@leealvin121 just don't look for sex, looks , or anything object able. ( sorry if that didn't make sense ). I myself am a ugly boy and don't get many chances at all haha. And many times its the sad girls who ask me out and I always reject them because you shouldn't be with people that don't make you happy. I'm not saying be selfish. But be careful and go with what your heart says
What a nice girl we need a lot more like her
What a Kind, Caring and Considerate Young Woman.
She Gave Ian Memories, that will Last a Lifetime.
May the Force be with Her and Ian Always.
@Drew Taylor shush
Beautiful lady with beautiful heart. Shout out to her parents!
she has a beautiful soul world needs more people like her
any man would be lucky to have her as his wife
I love people like that I get pulled and I stayed up for.people.like.him
@@TheMormonSorceress in his dreams Lol
The world needs about a million more kids like her
don’t get me wrong i do think this is very nice
I can agree with that statement...
i agree
THIS, is how you make America great. RESPECT to young woman. And her parents for raising such a beautiful soul
As a parent of a son who has autism I absolutely love this.
Thanks for honoring her, that was so amazing what she did. 💖
You can tell by the way she looked at him that she really likes him and that she wasn’t just doing it to make him feel loved.
She didn't squirm at all when he put his arm around her. That says a LOT.
Hopefully they got together 🥰
As a autistic guy, I want a spouse but not family unless adoption. More afraid of passing my special blessings to my own kids.
Ew she only likes him cuz she felt sorry for him she probably already has a boyfriend who is normal able-bodied guy
@@hannahnorthrup you seriously wanna talk about that?? Plump your brakes there
That girl is a class act! So is Ian. Hope they had a blast
Beautiful story. Ian looks pretty high functioning to me. I can tell he's got a heart of gold. His parents must be so proud. ❤️
I can see her becoming an amazing Special Needs teacher and helping these amazing kids. My son is on the spectrum and this just shines of awesomeness
That young lady is a complete “10” in every way shape and form. If only everyone believed as she does that those who are less fortunate also deserve love and attention especially when many times they are subjected to mean pranks and bullying. Ian is a very lucky young man who seems to have made a true friend for life! Heart warming story! Thank you!🙏
now this is what media needs to focus on .. not grand money gestures .. why? because every person watching this can do something like this for anyone ... or everyone
she's virtue signaling
I think that's the point. Or at least what I get out of it. We can all do something. If it isn't thousands of dollars, maybe it is just a few dollars. If it isn't money, maybe it is becoming friends with someone who needs a friend. I know some people who are homebound- but they write and send birthday cards to everyone they know. And some they don't know. We can all do something.
@@stephenpaddock1960I prefer assuming the best of people. Life is so much more enjoyable. I don't think we can assume virtue signaling here. Especially since virtue signaling usually consists of just talk. She seems to walk the walk, and enjoys being kind. I love it!
@@stephenpaddock1960 prove it.
SHE IS JUST A WONDERFUL YOUNG LADY AND HAS A GREAT HEART FOR PEOPLE ❤😊🎉🫶👍👏💓
Her family should be proud of her her for doing things like that 🫶👍👍👍👏👏👏🫶
This dude pulls better women than I do :(
I feel you bro..
I wasn't even allowed to go with any guy to my prom. Even if I could back then, I would have preferred it if a guy asked me to prom. I'm just old fashioned 😄
@@haniabekaa3328 You're still alive, maybe a version of that fantasy can still yet come true.
@@claimyourbrain6586 Wish that were true, but I was raised by extreme-control parents(mostly my mom) who told me to live in reality and that those romantic fantasies I have are just in movies and books.
@@haniabekaa3328 And yet, a part of you still lingers on the idea of that fantasy becoming real. Never let this go.
Beyond merely suggesting that fantasy can become reality, I urge you to see that it frequently does.
The fact that you and I, perfect strangers meet on a medium such as this, capable of having near-instantaneous communication over what I imagine is a very large distance would have been considered a fantasy, not so long ago.
A fire can be lit by just a few sparks, and those sparks are our dreams. Don't let yours go out just because someone else can't see the things you do. Your dreams are your own, and yours to manifest.
The young lady has a heart of gold! It was really sweet of her to do that for the young man.
Such beautiful people. Thank you all for making the world a better place :)
Props to the two parents raising such great kids God bless her for taking this young man to prom and have a enormous heart and understanding for what he has there is no one more deserving like her
Awww thank you for the best gift you gave the boy you have such a big heart full of love
That was beautiful. We need more people like this in the world. It would be a better place.
We can all start be being that person ourselves in our own neighborhoods, schools, and jobs.
@@Raze120 all I see is people rioting and arguing with each other these days... the only people I know that are truly nice in my life are the Born Again Christians I go to church with THATS about it. Godbless
This made me weepy. Such great kids, not just Cheyanne but Ian too! He's a cutie and she's got a big, beautiful heart!
Nice kid, glad he had a good prom date. This girls got a big heart and very grounded. She will go far.
: see ya at the restaurant " so funny ...Love how the community reaches out to one another..You lift up so many hearts with these videos! Cheers Nat and team!!
She is very kind and loving young lady to do that ❤️ 😊...
She is very very sweet 😋 ❤️ and she should be prayers and blessed for what she does
This Queen (young lady) is an earth Angel😇 blessings to you and all those you touch🙏
What a gem, we need more people like this in the world.
i know this is an older video but she seems so sweet and seems to care a lot for people with special needs.i hope they remain friends forever
Amazing!!! God bless those wonderful families making a difference. Shiane you are a beautiful young lady inside and out.
Who would thumbs down this?? Do you have no heart?? This is a beautiful heart felt story!
Beautiful young lady both inside and out. That boy must have had the time of his life going to the prom with a person that holds a special place in her heart for people with special needs. Great people, all of them.
Very kind gestures by kind people. They should all be praised.
What a beautiful soul and such a big heart. Kudos to Shiane's mom for showing her daughter what a wonderful place the world would be if you just show a little kindness to people who are less fortunate than you.
Nice girl for seeing this boy as normal. We need to teach our children to respect others no matter how they look or what happen to them etc.
Was a care worker for many years . This young lady has a beautiful heart ,
Pity theres not more people around like her ,
What an incredible young lady she is! The world needs more people like her.❤️
What a sweetheart. The world is better with special needs people in it
It’s sad that this world has gotten so bad that when people do something good and out of the kindness of their heart that it seems so rare that it makes the news. Loving and caring for each other should be an everyday thing for everyone. God bless both of them.
I think its worse the news agencys dont want to spread more good news when its actually out there.
“See you at the restaurant”
When a kid has more confidence than you
Autistic people don't like being touched or touching people ....the fact that he hugged her right away says alot ...she has a good soul
Once in a while, an angel is chosen to inhabit a human body to live an earthly experience. She is proof of this.
Beautifully said :)
Well, that’s kinda everyone. We’re all literal sons and daughters of God. I just had to point that out 🙂
Thats religiotic fairy tale to dismiss that she simply has a good character. It is not done by any invented not existing creature.
@@MrBubbleJet I don’t stomp on your beliefs, don’t stomp on mine. I never asked for your opinion. And to assume so, shows the true decline in society’s youthful minds.
endofsociety ok..wasn’t trying to offend anyone. I definitely agree she’s an awesome person and am somewhat of a star wars fan myself 😁
What a beautiful soul her parents must be so proud 😊
That young lady going to do great things in her life. May the force be with her always
What a fantastic young lady, she will bring joy to many peoples lives along the way. Bless her family, they raised a great one
She is a true angel!!! May the force be with you both!!!!
They actually make a cute couple. She is awesome for being creative and special in her invite and the limo. Big heart, both of them.
Nah she probably already has a boyfriend
I am proud of you
You are very kind
As a person whom has family with special needs, I told you this is beautiful thing she did for Ian. He is going to remember all that for the rest of his life, and when someone puts him down, he has beautiful memorie to fall back on. God Bless
Fantastic young lady. Good for her. She's going to go far in life with a heart that beautiful.
Yo, this is the best channel on TH-cam.
as a person with adhd and autism i would like to say this is fucking adorable 🥰
Girl you have a heart of gold. Mad respect
she is truly amazing and beautiful
How does her tiny body hold such a huge ❤️?She is the kind of person that when your a kid you don't think much about it ,but 20 years go by and you look back and realize just how lucky you are to have shared a life with someone so special.
That my friends is a young woman that has a pure heart and I’m assuming had a parent or parents that were involved in her life and taught her compassion for others.
wow that girl is absolutely beautiful.... ( shhhhhhh) im not referring to her looks ......
Breathtaking, from the inside out. That was amazing.
she's virtue signaling
Who ever ends up marrying Shiane is going to be a very lucky individual!
@@stephenpaddock1960 Or maybe she’s genuinely being kind. She was asked why she asked him to prom, and she answered honestly. That’s not virtue signaling.
@@stacydavis1997 This reminded me of a girl who pretended to date an ugly low status boy to elevate her reputation so she could go to a good university. That girl never made contact with the boy ever again when it was over. The girl in the video is doing the same thing probably.
She is a wonderful person ❤️ 😊 she is a good person at HEART ❤️ she has a great heart and she is very caring and loving person and did I say by the way she is very cute 😍
what a sweetie...Shyanne you're a beautiful soul..
15 years old and well beyond her years... "The Force is strong with this one..."
111 bullies disliked this video. Give a bully a hug next time you see one. Their people too. Just hurting a little differently than the rest of us.
She is such a beautiful pure hearted woman who’s going to do so many great things for soo many great! And what a amazing young man who deserves every bit of love!
Beyond fabulous. This made me smile. Kindness wins everytime. Ian you are the force, bless you.
What a nice young lady
This is awesome! My brother has high functioning autism, so this melts my heart
What a heart! She has a huge caring heart and I found the video humbling to watch. I wish more people were like her.🤗
There are so many good and kind humans in this world God bless this girl Thank you
Him tapping the mike killed me!!! 🤣
I have Asperger’s syndrome and ADHD all on the spectrum. I have a special place in my heart for special needs patients. I used to do a private care and volunteer for special needs patients. I say patients because they were of all ages. So this video made me cry. Because someone didn’t see Ian as special needs. She saw him as a person and a friend.
"see you at the restaurant"
great move there, Ian. *thumbs up*
she is totally adorable . My Daughter is 21 and has autism , so on behalf of every one of the autistic people in the world .................thank you !
this is great!! I love that she went all out even by dressing up as a storm trooper to make it extra special for Ian! That's a genuinely good kid right there!
"It's not wrapped" Lol me imagining the overworked intern running to target to buy it in a rush
Probably true tbh
What a beautiful young woman, inside and out. I hope the both of them have wonderful and successful futures. ❤️
Am I the only one that see's this as literally a pity party? She feels sorry for him, so she went to prom with him. No intention of anything romantic here at all. This isn't some beauty and the beast fairy tale.
Exactly. I have aspergers, this shit makes my fucking blood boil because it turns people with autism into infantilized charity cases. Some girl goes, hey, I have an opportunity to make headlines, asks a boy with autism out and the media goes berserk with "OMG how brave of her to agree to date a subhuman! This is amazing"!
@@blindeye1258 100% exactly right. Even though we are the only ones that see through this BS. Glad to have you on my side brother.
what a nice kid ..proof the human race has some real good peeps
My boy got game! God bless them both.
You give me hope in humanity young lady.......thank you for that
Ian is the man. Who wouldnt want to take him to prom. He's got some smooth lines.
Love the prom photos. Those two kids are one class act! Thanks for sharing this.
My son is 7 and named Anakin. He is non verbal autistic. This video melted my heart. I hope when he is older he meets someone like this at school. Godbless her. She made his whole year.
May I ask what your 7 year olds opinion on sand is.
Asking for a friend
@@aw-tismo1676 he plays with sand for sensory needs.
There are kind people and there is this girl who dressed up as s Storm Trooper...wow..amazing human being.
I am so happy that Nate's job isn't all about people who have no respect for life. This is a Great, warm story about respecting the life and love God gave us all and is by far not taken for granted here.
She deserves more. I wish she could be around here and helped my son.
I love watching videos like this i wish there can be more people like her she's really an angel .
That’s so cool. As someone who had a Star Wars themed wedding I totally approve!
aww even autistic people get married
@@erik61801 blursed
erik61801 i didn’t know that either
Many times people who do this random acts of kindness do it just to show off, but this girl no. I'm sure she was sincere, I could see generosity in her eyes
bless her heart not many kids these days would be so graceful
What an amazing young woman , well done, you have a big heart, thank you
i am autistic and sadly have no friends this girl is very nice and i hope i meet someone like her someday but i am older now so maybe not
We need especially this year more stories such as this. To all the comments and parents of autism child.. Love support and God blessing sent your way. Happy holidays everyone ❤️💯
What a beautiful young Woman, inside and out. Handsome young man.
I don’t have an attribution, and it’s likely not a quote in any event, and it should quite possibly be interpreted as singular here, here it comes. . . “To the world you may be someone, but to someone you may be the world.”
With autism, many times, the moment is the world.
So glad to know that there are still good people out there.