Seventeen-year-old Darius Huggins encountered an emotional hurdle when he found himself without a date for his senior prom at Southeast Raleigh Magnet High School, North Carolina. After being turned down by four classmates, Darius faced the disappointment many young people dread at this pivotal moment in their lives. However, the situation prompted an unexpected and heartwarming solution: he asked his mother, Maxine Huggins, to accompany him.
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Initially, Maxine thought he was joking when Darius first posed the question, laughing it off with the response: “Moms don’t go to prom.” Yet, when he asked seriously again, expressing a desire to feel more comfortable, she realised how important the event was to him. After some deliberation, Maxine agreed to be his date, and they began to plan a memorable prom experience together.
Despite her enthusiasm, there were limitations to the extent of Maxine’s involvement. After consulting with the school’s principal about attending with her son, she learned that the deadline for guest registration had passed. Although she was allowed to escort Darius to the venue—the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences—she could not stay to enjoy the event with him. “It kind of dampened the spirit a little bit,” she reflected, acknowledging the disappointment that lingered.
Determined to make the evening special, Maxine organised a pre-prom gathering at their home. As the owner of a catering business called Max Did That Creations, she prepared an assortment of cookies shaped like bow ties, along with treats bearing Darius’s name and the words “Prom 2026.” This celebration turned out to be one of Darius’s favourite parts of the entire prom experience.
It was not only the tasty snacks that excited him. The young man was faced with another dilemma: which of his striking blue tuxedo jackets to wear. Torn between a jacket adorned with rhinestones and a simpler version, he ultimately chose the blingy option, with encouragement from his family. “Once he put the one on with the bling, the family went off and said, ‘Wear that one, Darius,'” Maxine recalled with amusement.
The pair arrived at the prom in style, thanks to one of their mutual interests—their shared passion for luxury vehicles. They were driven in a gleaming 2026 Cadillac Escalade, ensuring a grand entrance at the event.
In the aftermath of the prom, Maxine felt inspired to take further action to address the challenges faced by other neurodivergent students and those with disabilities. Reflecting on the prom experience, she established an initiative called “Moms on Proms,” aimed at ensuring that no teen feels excluded from this significant rite of passage. Her mission includes organising an annual prom event where neurodivergent students or those with disabilities can attend with an adult of their choice, allowing them to engage fully in the celebratory atmosphere.
The idea for the initiative came to Maxine just two days before Darius’s prom. She felt a calling to launch the concept within the community. After sharing the idea, the response was overwhelmingly positive, with hundreds of parents expressing interest and support.
“Now I have a way that I can help make other people happy versus them feeling like their child can’t enjoy prom, or students feeling like they don’t want to go to the prom altogether because they’re different,” she stated, capturing the essence of her endeavour.
With plans already underway, Maxine is scouting locations for the inaugural prom event scheduled for next year. The aim is to create a welcoming and inclusive environment that caters to the unique needs of neurodivergent teens. The slogan for “Moms on Proms” encapsulates this spirit perfectly: “No teen left out of prom.”
For further information about this initiative and its upcoming events, interested individuals can visit the dedicated website at momsonproms.com. With Maxine Huggins at the helm, there is hope for many teenagers who may have previously feared exclusion from one of high school’s most cherished celebrations.