A World War II veteran attended his first prom this month, more than 80 years after missing his own high school prom, after being called up to military service.
When a group of students at Metea Valley High School in Aurora, Illinois, heard that Ray Svejnoha never got to attend prom, they came together to make sure he could finally go at 100 years old.
“During my younger age, I had a choice of going into the service, and I took two exams: one for the Navy and one for the Army Air Force,” Svejnoha, who lives in Independence Village, a senior living community in Naperville, Illinois, told Naperville Community Television.
When it came time for his high school prom, he said he “didn’t have too much choice — I was supposed to report for duty.”
Svejnoha shared his story with Carey Peterson, an adviser for Metea Valley High School’s Tech Connect club, which helps senior citizens with technology assistance. The students in the club had gotten to know Svejnoha in recent months after working with the residents at Independence Village, according to the school…