Homecoming Queen Prank Victim Gets Support From Facebook Community

When West Branch, Michigan, high school sophomore Whitney Kropp was elected her high school’s homecoming queen, she was surprised at first given the fact she wasn’t “popular.” That surprise turned into humiliation when she found out that it was actually a prank and was laughed and teased by her fellow classmates. She told the Detroit News that she contemplated not going to the homecoming dance because she felt she “wasn’t worthy,” but her mother insisted that she stand up to her bullies.

Fortunately, her despair didn’t last long. Her story went viral thanks to a Facebook support page created by local Jamie Kline. It has since grown to more than 58,000 likes from Michigan and the rest of the world, with many posting encouraging messages of support. The West Branch community has also helped her make her homecoming dreams come true by paying for her gown, dinner and tiara. She has expressed her thanks in a recent YouTube video:

Kropp told NBC’s “Today” show that she has stood up to those who have made her feel inferior: “I’m excited to go because I can prove everyone wrong and say, you know, I’m not this joke that you guys thought of. You guys doing this has made me stronger and I’ve got more self-esteem than what I had.”