Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
HOLLADAY — Joseph Sumner has been planning his date for at least a month, but until Friday, he had no idea he'd be going to the Homecoming Dance as royalty.
"They were all cheering for me. I was really happy," Sumner said, after hearing he'd been voted as Olympus High School's Homecoming King. He even got a standing ovation during the school assembly and again during a stroll with the rest of the royal court, around the school's new running track during the Homecoming game, where the Titans bested the Hillcrest Huskies.
The 12th-grader — who loves playing video games, enjoys spicy foods and has muscular dystrophy — had a hunch that his large group of friends at the school were pulling for him, but he had no idea he'd actually win the crown after votes were collected all week.
He said kids at the school have always supported him and this generous display of affection came as only somewhat of a surprise.
"They make me a better person," Sumner said of his peers. "They tell me I can do whatever I want."
A girl he fancies will accompany him and seven other couples to a fancy dinner and the dance Saturday night, followed by a murder-mystery theater game at Sumner's home that is sure to be a lot of fun, as the teen's mother, Judy Sumner, said, "he's always making us laugh."
While he spends his days confined to a motorized wheelchair, Judy Sumner said her son never lets anything get him down.
"Everybody has difficult things in their life. That's just part of life, and you can get all bitter and upset about it and have a miserable life, but what's the point?" she said. "There's a lot of reasons to celebrate and be happy regardless of any trials you have."
While she sometimes accompanies her son to school, as an aide, and knows the capabilities of the class of Olympus Titans, Judy Sumner said she never believed she'd see the day when her son received such an honor.
"When you have a kid who has a disease and is getting weaker all the time — we got his diagnosis when he was in kindergarten — I never would have thought he'd be the Homecoming King," she said. "It's just wonderful."
----
Written by Wendy Leonard with contributions from Alex Cabrero.
