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SPANISH FORK — For one young woman with a terminal illness, attending her high school prom was something she never thought she’d be able to do. On the evening of April 20, she proved herself wrong.
Sydni Taylor was diagnosed with ataxia telangiectasia, a neurodegenerative disease that affects mobility and brain function, when she was 16 months old. Close family friend Sharlene Vert said even from a young age, Sydni has always been upbeat about her situation.
“I met Sydni when she was 5 years old,” Vert said. “It is a blessing and a privilege to have this girl in my life.”
Sydni is now 22 years old, weighs 71 pounds and is 4 feet 7 inches tall. She’s the oldest person living in Utah with A-T, Vert said, and has beaten the odds many times.
“She’ll never recover,” Vert said. “There’s nothing they can do.”
Despite not being able to walk, Sydni has brightened the lives of everyone she meets, Vert said. Recently, her nurse, Lorraine Allen, told Sydni her son, Will Roach, would like to take her to Maple Mountain High School’s upcoming prom.
“They went and asked the school for permission,” Vert said. “Will is 20 years old, so neither one of them attend the school currently.”
Saturday night Sydni and Will attended the dance together. Not only was Syndi able to attend, she was crowned honorary prom queen by the students at Maple Mountain High.
Her mother, Tammy Taylor, said it was a night the two would remember forever.
“She had a blast,” Tammy said. “The dress and flowers were donated by friends. She looked radiant.”
The evening was perfect, Vert said, and Sydni couldn’t have been happier.
“She was ecstatic,” Vert said. “There was a welcoming committee for her. It was an amazing night. ”
Tammy Taylor has raised the young woman by herself since Sydni was very young. Vert said Tammy’s never thought for a moment about herself.
“The things they’ve gone through together,” Vert said. “This mother has gone above and beyond for this girl.”
Sydni hasn’t been able to attend public school since kindergarten, Vert said. Her mother has homeschooled her and raised her on her own. Vert said she sort of adopted the two and her own daughters have been like sisters to Sydni.
In the days since the dance, Sydni’s health has taken a turn for the worse.
“She’s been going downhill since prom,” Tammy said. “She has a constant fever and has been having a hard time eating.”
Although they know Sydni’s time is short, Vert said she and her mother are honored to have had as much time with her as they have.
“We’re not sure when she’s going to go but it’s close,” Vert said. “This girl deserves every bit of happiness she can get before then.”
