Girl That Loses Her Father Before Daddy Daughter Dance Gets The Most Heartwarming Gift

Girl that loses her father before daddy-daughter dance gets the most heartwarming gift. Avie Cox, like every other girl in her Arkansas elementary school, had the excitement for the end-of-the-year daddy-daughter dance somersaulting through her mind. However, with only a few months until the big night, the eight-year-old's dreams crashed to the ground when her father suddenly passed away. With no hope of attending the event, Avie was left inconsolable, until her luck seemingly started to turn. To say Avie Cox was one of the happiest girls at school was an understatement. She wore a smile every day, had tons of friends who looked up to her, and always wowed teachers with her enthusiasm. Life in Arkansas was good. The eight-year-old attended Central Elementary School in the city of Van Buren, where her family also lived. Every year, the school threw a special event specifically for the girls, and the date was approaching. Avie was beyond excited. It was the annual father-daughter dance, and Avie could not wait to bring her dad Cory along to share a night she'd remember forever. Unfortunately, that holiday season left her dreams decimated. Cory died suddenly, ripping Avie's family apart. She and her mother were now alone, and she'd miss out on the dance. But most tragic of all, Avie was now missing a good friend. They were very close, Avie's mom Angela Bernard told Today. Even dealing with the loss of her father, Avie couldn't help but think about the father-daughter dance. She wasn't going to get to go, and worse, she was going to have to constantly talk about why. She didn't know, however, what Van Buren Police Chief Jamie Hammond, below, was doing behind the scenes. He sent an email to school resource officers in the area suggesting they step in, if possible, to help offer guidance to students lacking father figures. As luck would have it, one officer volunteered immediately. When Nicol Harvey, the officer at Avie's own Central Elementary School, learned of the girls' situation, he had a special plan. So he pitched it to Avie's mother and hoped for the best. He wanted to stand in for Avie's dad at the dance. Harvey would ensure a night of much-needed fun, something the girl desperately craved after losing her parent. Avie's mom was completely on board with the plan, but Harvey himself was nervous. That's because he had to actually ask Avie himself if she wanted to go with him. The on-campus officer spent all day at work getting up the nerves to ask the eight-year-old. Then, at lunch, he saw her sitting at the lunch table. He nearly chickened out, but knew he had to ask. Even though Harvey had three grown daughters of his own, he never had the opportunity to attend their school dances. He saw this as the perfect chance to make two dreams come true. She was sitting at the lunch table, Harvey recalled, and I walked up and said, hey, did you talk to your mom? And she said, yeah. And I'm like, would you like to be my date for the daddy-daughter dance? And so she's like, yes. And I was like, phew. So he went to work. Harvey wanted the night to be one Avie would never forget. He went out and secured a few surprise gifts for the student and practiced a few dance moves. Every time Avie saw him at school, she reminded him how many days until the dance. When the big day arrived, Nicol Harvey put on his best suit and went over to Avie's house. The smiling couple posed for photos, and then Harvey presented his date with something no one, not even her mom, saw coming. See, when Harvey arrived at Avie's house, he was driving a police cruiser. The eight-year-old thought she was going to have the best ride to the dance of the entire school. But then the duo's real ride showed up. Avie's jaw hit the ground in awe as a massive stretch Hummer pulled around the corner and stopped in front of her home. This was their ride. Harvey pulled out all the stops when it came to the evening's event, and he wasn't done yet. He even made savvy fashion choices, admitting he bought a new tie and handkerchief to match Avie's dress, and I ordered a corsage. Avie felt like a rock star, but nothing compared to the excitement once they arrived. The music was pumping, the kids were laughing, and everyone was getting funky on the dance floor. Avie was living out a night she'd never thought possible. But the night nearly took a nosedive when one student asked Avie a pointed question. The student asked Avie if Harvey was her dad. No, this is our school resource officer, she said. Harvey couldn't help but smile a little. I looked at Avie and then I said, well, tonight I'm her dad. At the end of the night, the father of three was completely smitten with his young date to the dance. I know she's not my kid, he said, but for a couple hours, it felt like she really was. I even get to twirl her. But Harvey had more surprises in store. After the dance, Harvey took Avie out for some ice cream. It was nice to watch Avie just taking it all in, Harvey proudly stated. The entire gesture was so special that Avie even made the news. The local media outlets could not get enough of the fantastic night that Harvey's touching act of kindness created for both he and Avie. Before the dance, Harvey was simply Avie's school resource officer. Now their relationship was something more. We've really become best friends through all this, Harvey said. Avie's mom could not have been more thankful as well. It was such a bright spot. Avie keeps saying it was the best night ever. Harvey teared up during an interview afterward. Enjoy your kids, appreciate their childhood, because they won't be little for very long. The night even had a potential impact on Avie's future career. Avie expressed interest in someday taking her life down the path of law enforcement, hoping to one day earn a badge herself. Officers that went out of their way to help everyone were especially interesting to Avie.