Girl Covers Dress with Photos of Deceased Brother to Fulfill His Dream of Going to Prom Together

A grieving sister fulfilled her late brother's childhood wish of going to prom together by wearing a beautiful bespoke gown with his photos. Each photo of her brother on the gown tells a story about his life, and she proudly wore it on prom night.

Prom is a once-in-a-lifetime event that most high school students look forward to. Some spend years thinking about the special night, planning ahead in hopes of one day actualizing their daydreams.

Such was the case for Antonette Frierson and her late brother Antonio. They were the best of friends growing up in Indianapolis and often spoke about one day going to prom together.

A Tragic Accident

Unfortunately, that dream wasn't destined to happen for Antonio. At the young age of 16, he was killed by his friend, Micah Sanders, who was playing with a revolver at the time of Antonio's death.

While the court ruled that the tragic killing was an accident, Antonio's family thinks otherwise. "I don't feel it was accidental because of what I have heard," Antonio's mom, Angelyca Dossa, claimed.

Antonett echoed her mom's suspicions, saying how impossible it was to be an accident. "This wasn't an accident," she told the press.

Life was Never the Same

Sanders, after admitting to reckless homicide and dangerous possession of a firearm, was only sentenced to two years in prison and has since been released. After his release, he faced another arrest warrant over claims that he violated the terms of his community corrections sentence.

Antonett and the rest of her family felt it unfair for Antonio's killer to be free to do whatever he wanted while they no longer had their loved one with them. Antonett shared how difficult it was to see Sanders on social media, posting about the things he ate that day or the things happening in his life.

Antonett hired designer Mariah Jackson to bring her vision to life. The dressmaker felt for Antonett, having lost a friend through gun violence as well.

Moving on from the Loss

Despite the hurt and gut-wrenching loss, Antonett and the rest of her family have been trying to move past the incident and simply try their best to honor Antonio. He was a young man filled with dreams–dreams that were cut short due to his friend's recklessness.

To honor his memory, Antonett has been trying to fulfill his dreams for him, including his dream of going to prom with her. Thus, she devised a way to make it happen when prom night came.

The Bespoke Dress with a Story

To make sure her older brother was with her during her prom, Antonett took her fond memories of him and used her imagination to create a special gown she would wear that night. The result was a beautiful white, beige, black, and purple gown that exceeded their expectations.

Antonett hired designer Mariah Jackson to bring her vision to life. The dressmaker felt for Antonett, having lost a friend through gun violence as well. "It was a similar story, only [Antonio] was even younger, so it really hit home," the designer shared.

The photos in Antonett's dress didn't simply show her brother. She revealed that each one had a story behind it, which added meaning to the dress. She explained:

"I just didn't pick any picture of his face, or because it's a clear picture of his face. Every picture on that dress has a story."

Honoring Antonio's Memory

The photos showed Antonio smiling and playing football, which was something he was passionate about. Antonett's arms were also covered in sheer beige fabric and lined with purple embellishments and Swarovski crystals.

"Now that the dress is made, it's even more beautiful than we thought it would be," Angelyca gushed about her daughter's unique prom dress. The proud mom posted about her daughter's decision to honor her brother on Facebook, saying they were best friends.

From the moment Antonett was born, Antonio looked out for his sister and they shared almost everything together–from birthday parties to times they were scolded by their parents, and everything in between. They were like any brother-and-sister duo who went through all the highs and lows of growing up together.

It was a no-brainer for Antonett to take her brother with her during prom night, even if it was just through her choice of dress. He was with her the entire night, and Antonett was certain he was glad to spend the night with his sister and their friends like he had always imagined.

Click here to read the touching story of a North Dakota boy who mowed lawns all summer to buy a gravestone for his late biological dad he never met to honor his memory.