Midwest teenager fulfills lifelong promise to bring his glamorous Icelandic GRANNY to school prom

By ALYSSA GUZMAN, US NEWS REPORTER Published: 17:52, 6 May 2026 | Updated: 17:52, 6 May 2026 A Wisconsin teenager has fulfilled his lifelong promise of taking his Icelandic grandmother to prom.  Avant Williams vowed to take his grandma, Svala Heller, 59, to the American rite of passage when he was a toddler.  Now, the junior at La Crosse Central High School fulfilled the decade-long promise over the weekend.  'I was definitely excited,' he told WSMV. 'I’ve only been looking up to this moment since I was like two years old. So, it’s a big deal for my grandma, and I feel very special that I can take her to this prom.'  Proms aren't popular in Iceland, so the 59-year-old grandmother had always been fascinated by the fancy occasion and insisted her grandson take her his junior year, he told the outlet.  'I’ve always wanted to go to a prom,' she told WSMV. 'Watching American TV and all that glamour that goes with it.  'And you know, for 14 years he’s been saying: "Yeah, one day I will take you to prom."'  Heller attended the event dressed in a floor-length, off-the-shoulder black gown with a tulle-covered front and bottom. Avant Williams (left) took his grandmother, Svala Heller, 59, to his junior prom, alongside his friend Ruben Smith  It had always been a dream of Heller's to attend a prom, as Iceland doesn't put on the dances for students. Williams was excited to take his grandmother, as they share a close bond  She completed the look with a red lip, dark sunglasses, and a small pink bouquet.  Williams, for his part, let his grandmother shine. He wore an all-black suit with a shiny silver necklace with the letters ATM on it.  His friend, Ruben Smith, also escorted the grandmother to prom.  'It’s so special,' Heller said of being her grandson's prom date. 'We have such a special bond. I’m just taking every, every inch in and just enjoying every moment.'  'It means the world to me. Like I love my grandma,' Williams told the outlet. 'She’s been there for me like my whole life. I’m just happy I can make her dream come true.'  The two danced the night away after grabbing dinner before the dance. 'It means the world to me. Like I love my grandma,' Williams said  The grandson was even caught carrying his grandmother's train as they crossed the street  The three of them got dinner before the dance and then partied the night away among the other La Crosse students, who also posed for photos with the Icelander.  Williams even posted about the event on his social media, where he shared a photo of himself carrying the train of his grandmother's dress as they crossed the road to get to the venue.   No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.