Special needs student misses out on high school prom after 24-year-old sister was turned away at the door for being too old to accompany him as a date

  • Jayce Whisenhunt, 19, has autism, ADHD and a learning disability
  • He asked sister Jessica Helling to prom at Montgomery Central High School in Clarkesville, Tennessee, because he didn't have other friends
  • The two left in tears when Helling was told she was too old to attend
  • School district forbids guests older than 20, and subjects them to background checks for the students' safety
  • Community has gathered to throw Jayce a party, where Helling is invited as prom queen

By Jessica Chia For Dailymail.com

Published: | Updated:

After spending $400 on a suit and weeks practicing dancing, a special needs student didn't attend his high school prom because his date - his 24-year-old sister - was turned away at the door. 

Jayce Whisenhunt, 19, was devastated after his sister Jessica Helling was told she exceeded the age limit set at 20 to attend prom at Montgomery Central High School in Clarkesville, Tennessee.

Whisenhunt, who has autism, ADHD, and a learning disability, left the party in tears because he didn't want to stay without his sister.

Jayce Whisenhunt, 19, (right) was devastated after his sister Jessica Helling (left) was told she couldn't accompany her brother to prom at Montgomery Central High School in Clarkesville, Tennessee

Jayce Whisenhunt, 19, (right) was devastated after his sister Jessica Helling (left) was told she couldn't accompany her brother to prom at Montgomery Central High School in Clarkesville, Tennessee

The school district set the age limit to ensure the safety of the students, and guests who are 19 or 20 are subjected to background checks before they are allowed to attend, according to News2

The school district set the age limit to ensure the safety of the students, and guests who are 19 or 20 are subjected to background checks before they are allowed to attend, according to News2

Jayce, who attends a program at an off-site location separate from the high school, told News2: 'I asked her because I don’t have anybody else for a friend, nobody else to hang out with.'

Helling, who graduated from the same high school, said she was honored to accompany her younger brother, and spent the whole day making him feel special.

According to the GoFundMe page, their father made sure they had flowers, and the siblings went out to dinner and took photos together before the big event.  

'It was heartbreaking. It took everything for me not to bawl and squall crying because he had looked forward to it,' she told the local news channel.

The school district set the age limit to ensure the safety of the students, and guests who are 19 or 20 are subjected to background checks before they are allowed to attend, according to News2.

But the student's father Tone Whisenhunt was upset by the way his son was treated and choked back tears when he told WSMV: 'Your kids have one prom and he didn’t even get to go to it. 

'That’s what upsets me the most.'  

Whisenhunt, who has autism, ADHD, and a learning disability, left the party in tears because he didn't want to stay without his sister.
Helling, who graduated from the same high school, said: 'It was heartbreaking. It took everything for me not to bawl and squall crying because he had looked so forward to it'

Whisenhunt, who has autism, ADHD, and a learning disability, left the party in tears because he didn't want to stay without his sister

Tone told ClarkesvilleNow.com: 'I just think they should have some kind of an exception for special needs kids when it comes to their prom.

'Where was the protection when he was getting bullied all through school, but they want to protect him at a prom?'

Montgomery County school district spokesperson Elise Shelton said a copy of the rules was sent home, and that an exception could have been made if it had been planned beforehand.

But Whisenhunt has another chance to live it up, after the community caught wind of the story and decided to throw him another prom.

Held on June 10, Helling is already invited as prom queen, and the event will include a limo, dinner, DJ and red carpet. A GoFundMe page has been created to raise money for the party. 

Father Tone Whisenhunt (right) said: 'Where was the protection when he was getting bullied all through school, but they want to protect him at a prom?'

Father Tone Whisenhunt (right) said: 'Where was the protection when he was getting bullied all through school, but they want to protect him at a prom?'

Montgomery County school district spokesperson Elise Shelton said a copy of the rules was sent home, and that an exceptions could have been made if it had been planned beforehand

Montgomery County school district spokesperson Elise Shelton said a copy of the rules was sent home, and that an exceptions could have been made if it had been planned beforehand

But Whisenhunt has another chance to live it up, after the community caught wind of the story and decided to throw him another prom, where Helling is invited as prom queen

But Whisenhunt has another chance to live it up, after the community caught wind of the story and decided to throw him another prom, where Helling is invited as prom queen

 

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