A Night to Remember: Young Pennsylvania Teen with Muscular Atrophy Wins the Prom Queen Title

Two years ago, one incredible young woman was awarded one very special title from her senior classmates – and deservedly so. Brittany Chieze of New Castle, PA, a long time sufferer of muscular atrophy, took home the queen’s crown at her high school’s homecoming court.

“Brittany seemed healthy when she was born in 1996, the fourth child of Rochelle and Art Chieze. But her parents began to worry when she was slow to start walking, and fell down frequently as a preschooler,” reports the Edmond Sun. After repeated trips to a number of medical centers in Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Cleveland, she was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy, a genetic condition that inhibits the control of muscle movement and limits her to a wheelchair. 

“Brittany’s muscles continued to atrophy and, by age 8, when she was in third grade, she began to lose her ability to get around.”

Mrs. Chieze admits she panicked at first when she learned her daughter had been placed on Shenango High’s Homecoming ballot.

“I started thinking about the germs from being around so many people and how tired this would make her,” Rochelle said. “Even though she was thrilled — we all were — I went back and forth. I thought maybe we should say no.”

But Brittany, wise well beyond her 17 years, knew what she needed to do.

“Let me live, mom,” Brittany said resolutely.

And so it was that Brittany was able to spend two days that may turn out to be the most beautiful of her life — days that also likely will rank among the most beautiful of everyone’s lives who were lucky enough to be a part of it.

Brittany has not been able to attend High School since a debilitating neuromuscular disease left her fighting for her life three years ago.

But members of the school’s student body never forgot about the beautiful brunette who lights up a room with her smile, rallying around her during what would have been her senior year of school — first voting her onto Homecoming court, then showing their selflessness by naming her queen.

She was crowned during an emotional ceremony at halftime of Friday’s game against Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, then reigned at Saturday’s Homecoming Dance.

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