Prom night is one of the most memorable events of every teenager’s life. So when the 18-year old Skylar Fontaine from New Orleans found out that her Marine boyfriend, 19-year old Gage Moak, would not be able to take her to senior prom, she was a bit disappointed but she understands his situation.
Gage and Skylar have been dating for a year. Gage would not be able to make it home to take Skylar to the dance because he is on the East Coast, training for his Military Occupational Specialty.
Courtesy of Skylar Fontaine
Skylar said she had mixed emotions upon finding out that Gage won’t be there with her for the prom as she was naturally disappointed but she supports him fully in his career. She understands that her boyfriend was making sacrifices not being with his family.
So instead of being angry or sad, she just came up with a brilliant (and cute) idea. She asked Gage’s two-year-old brother Clay to stand in as a substitute for Gage for the prom pictures.
Courtesy of Skylar Fontaine
Dressed just like a Marine, Clay looked really adorable in the pictures. “He kept saying, ‘Cheese!’ and it was so funny,” Fontaine recalls.
Skylar said that she and the two-year-old are quite close and that Clay always greets her with a hug.
Skylar also said that her boyfriend is very sentimental when it comes to his family, and that’s why she thought it would be sweet to send the photos to him.
Courtesy of Skylar Fontaine
The young lady said she was surprised that the photos went viral and that Gage was thrilled and touched by the photos of her with his own baby brother.
Skylar’s post on Twitter has reached over 208,000 likes and more than 42,000 re-tweets. Being away from your loved ones is never easy, and Skylar understands that, that’s why she made an effort in having the heartwarming photos taken and sent to Gage.
“I did this for my loving boyfriend who misses his family that he’s been away from for the past 6 months. That’s all I care about. He is missing his little brother growing up. The least I can do is something like this for him, for the sacrifice he is making.”, said Skylar in a Twitter post.
Although Clay would make an irresistibly cute prom date, Skylar didn’t take the little boy to the prom, she went with her friends instead.
“Even the smallest gestures are so important to me, before he left to join the Marine Corps, I didn’t really cherish the little things as I should. Having him away taught me to do that. Having a loved one in the military really changes your priorities and perspective,” Skylar said.