Father Takes Son's Girlfriend to Prom After His Son Was Killed in a Car Crash

After her boyfriend was killed in a car crash this past spring, Kaylee Suders decided to skip her senior prom. She changed her mind when her boyfriend’s dad asked her if he could escort her to the event.

Driving home from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in order to surprise Kaylee, Carter Brown was nineteen at the time of his death. While driving his Honda Civic, he crossed into oncoming traffic. His car struck two cars, one on the back driver’s side and the other head-on. Carter was pronounced dead at the scene, and the driver of the vehicle that he hit head-on was taken to the hospital. The three-vehicle crash happened early in the morning on April 15.

Speaking to the Central Daily Times about her boyfriend of over a year, Suders said,

He was an all-around great person and my best friend. He always could light up an entire room. He could also talk you into doing anything. He was one of the best people that’s ever been around. You couldn’t find anyone that would ever say a bad thing about him.”

After the tragedy, Kaylee understandably decided to skip her senior prom. Her boyfriend’s dad, though, after wondering what she was going to do, received permission from the school to take her to the prom.

“My son was a sweet, caring kid, and Kaylee is very sweet, too, and she is a part of our family,” [Robert Brown] said. “When the passing topic of prom came up, I kept thinking my son would want her to go. That prompted me to get the ball rolling.”

Brown did it because he wants the best for his kids. He said Suders is like a daughter to him.

“We have four sons, and we lost our second oldest, Christopher, seven months before we lost Carter,” Brown said. “Life will have all kinds of curve balls that you can’t control. You have to have strength and courage to move forward. We lost two of our children. Our circumstance happened that way. You just learn to be able to go on and live for and care for everyone you still have with you.”

Even though she was overcome with emotion when Carter’s dad asked her to the prom, Kaylee changed her mind about going and said yes.

“I was kind of surprised before he asked me, and it was really, really heartwarming,” Suders said. “I didn’t have to think about it. I definitely said ‘yes.’ It was so great of him to ask me.”

Even in the midst of tragedy and great loss, Robert Brown thought about the feelings and needs of his son’s hurting girlfriend. No doubt, the senior prom has helped the healing process for both the Brown family and Kaylee Suders.