(Dayna Smith/ For The Washington Post ) - Victoria Burress, 17, a kicker for the Patriot High School football team, during practice at the school in Nokesville, Va. Her friend asked her to the school’s Fall Fest by having a helicopter drop a stuffed bulldog onto the field after a practice.
The school principal was aware of the dramatic drop ahead of time, as the student’s father asked for permission, said Irene Cromer, a Prince William County Public Schools spokeswoman.
“It was completely authorized,” Cromer said. “They did ask for permission. They were granted permission.”
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And it’s not the first time the mysterious black helicopter has buzzed by. The high school’s football coach said there have been previous flyovers at the new school in Nokesville.
News of the flying-puppy-gram quickly spread through the student body. Burress received a text message at 3:12 p.m. that read: “Who asked someone to homecoming with a helicopter?” That message was quickly followed by these: “OMG IT WAS YOU!?” “AWHHHHHHHH,” and “IM SO JEALOUS.” Burress responded at 5:28 p.m. — “Hahahahahahahah I know!” — and then posted a photo of the exchange on her public Twitter account.
Burress also posted two photos of the helicopter hovering over school grounds, including one featuring her and her friend embracing as they looked up at the large black helicopter. Reflecting on the event, Burress tweeted: “. . . so surreal.”
This isn’t the first time Burress has been wooed by creative date-seekers. When she attended Brentsville District High School, Burress said she got asked to prom at halftime of a game over the public-address system. Last year, a boy spelled out P-R-O-M with plastic cups in a fence. But this invite was in another stratosphere.
“Everyone’s pretty mad,” Burress joked, alluding to how it’s made the other boys who asked their dates in more conventional ways seem less thoughtful.
Indeed, Twitter quickly lit up with jealous comments. The guy was called “a legend” who would be tough to top, while Burress was referred to as “the luckiest girl in the world” and other girls lamented not yet being asked. “No way I can ask a girl to prom after that,” one student tweeted. Another coined the hashtag “#HelicoptersArentCool.”
“Everyone thought it was cool,” said Vic Ceglie, 17, who is a junior and plays on the football team. “All the girls thought it was sweet, and the guys were like, ‘That was tight.’ ”
The student behind the tight invite played down the elaborateness in a tweet. But he added: “Just wait and see what I have in store for Prom.”
Donna St. George and Jennifer Jenkins contributed to this report.
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