They might have a pretty good shot at prom king and queen! Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. surprised autistic teenager Aubrey Bridges by asking her to prom last week.
In what may be the cutest prom-posal video ever, the football star, 36, says: “Hey Aubrey, Steve Smith here. I want to know, would you let me take you to the prom?”
The Charlotte, North Carolina, teen responded with a huge smile. According to the Gaston Gazette, the 18-year-old suffers from a rare disorder called Vein of Galen Malformation, and also deals with a delay in her ability to process audio and speech.
The NFL player was contacted with the idea by the nonprofit organization Dream On 3, a charity that makes sports dreams come true for children with chronic illnesses or disabilities. According to the Gaston Gazette, they had learned Bridges is a huge fan of Smith and loves the Carolina Panthers, his former team from 2001 to 2013. The teen watches the games each season and her family even hosts a Super Bowl party every year, where the high school senior picks the menu.
“I am excited because Steve Smith Sr. asked me to prom,” Bridges said, according to the Gaston Gazette. “I am so happy that I danced.”
Bridges will graduate this spring and plans to pursue a career working with computers, according to the newspaper. She currently uses an iPad and text messaging to communicate and hold conversations.
The teen’s prom date is the all-time leading receiver for the Panthers and was named to five Pro Bowls. He even led the team to Super Bowl XXXVIII, where his team lost to the New England Patriots. Smith joined the Ravens in 2014.
