Officer Escorts 8-Year-Old Girl To Father-Daughter Dance After Her Dad Dies

VAN BUREN, Ark. (CBS Local) -- An 8-year-old girl from Arkansas who recently lost her father had a night to remember when her school resource officer stepped in to take her to a father-daughter dance.

Second grader Avey Cox said she had always dreamed of going to the daddy/daughter dance put on by the Van Buren School District. But after her dad passed away during the holidays, she didn't think that she would be able to attend.

But school resource officer Cpl. Nick Harvey decided to step up for Cox after his chief suggested the officers volunteer to escort students without dads.

"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 told CBS affiliate KFSM.

Cox said yes, and on Feb. 10, the two attended the father-daughter dance.

"I was excited because I never ever went and it would be my first time and I had actually been wanting to go," she said.

They coordinated their outfits, took 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," Cox said.

Harvey says it's a night he will never forget.

"I embarrassed myself a little bit," he said. "I can't dance at all."

Harvey has three daughters, but they've all aged-out of the daddy-daughter dance. He says he looks forward to going to the dances again with his new friend.