Officer escorts 8-year-old girl to father-daughter dance after her dad’s death

VAN BUREN, Ark.  – An 8-year-old girl from Arkansas had a night to remember when her school resource officer stepped in to take her to a father-daughter dance after her father’s death.

At first, second grader Avey Cox didn’t think she would be able to go to the father-daughter dance put on by the Van Buren School District. Her own father died during the holidays.

But Cpl. Nick Harvey, a school resource officer for the district, decided to step in for his friend Avey after his chief suggested the officers volunteer to escort students without dads.

Avey Cox, 8, and Cpl. Nick Harvey, a school resource officer, attended the father-daughter dance put on by the Van Buren School District. They coordinated their outfits, took lots of pictures and even rode in a limousine. (Source: KFSM/Tribune/CNN)

“I reached out to the mother. The mother came and said it was OK because the last thing I wanted to do was to get rejected by a second grader. So, her mom talked to her about it, and the next day, I formally asked if she’d be my date to the daddy-daughter dance,” Harvey said.

Avey said yes, and on Feb. 10, the two attended the father-daughter dance. They made sure to coordinate their outfits, take lots of pictures and even rode in a limousine to get pizza before heading to the event.

“It meant a lot because I actually got to go and see all my friends there, and then, I got to go with him and have a lot of fun,” Avey said.

Harvey says he hopes to take Avey to the father-daughter dance every year from now on. He has three daughters, but they’ve all aged out of the dances. (Source: KFSM/Tribune/CNN)

Harvey says it’s a night he will never forget because they made a lot of memories both off and on the dance floor.

When the event ended, the group went out for ice cream, and Avey got escorted home in a police car.

Harvey says he hopes to take Avey to the father-daughter dance every year from now on. He has three daughters, but they’ve all aged out of the dances.