A West Virginia eighth-grader with spina bifida became the star of her school dance last weekend when she brought along a special date: a newly minted NFL player.

Earlier this month, Joslyn Levell, 14, was excited to meet J.T. Thomas, a rookie linebacker drafted by her favorite football team, the Chicago Bears. But she told him that she’d been through a rough patch since none of the boys she’d asked would accompany her to her school’s upcoming end-of-year dance.

Thomas, whose 7-year-old brother has autism and rides the same school bus as Levell, soon intervened asking the girl to go with him after securing permission from her parents and school officials for the atypical arrangement.

For Levell, the invite was a relief. And showing up at the dance with a sports star on her arm gave the girl a chance to show all those boys who turned her down what they were missing.

“This was Joslyn’s night. It wasn’t about me,” Thomas told NFL.com, adding that he hopes to get Lovell and her family tickets to a Bears game next season. To read more click here.

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