Tim Tebow’s Night to Shine Celebrates First Live Event in Two Years
By Movieguide® Contributor
Last Friday, Tim Tebow’s Night to Shine celebrated its first in-person event in two years as thousands of people across the world attended prom events for people living with disabilities.
The event occurred in 620 local churches across roughly 30 countries, providing guests with a red-carpet entrance, dinner, desserts, music, karaoke, dancing and photos before topping the evening off with a crowning ceremony.
The celebration offered an unforgettable prom experience for people with special needs, ages 14 years and older.
“Worthy. Valued. Cherished. Loved…Royalty! Just a few words to describe the amazing honored guests of Night to Shine!” Tebow said.
Tebow also shared some stories about people impacted by the event on Instagram.
For one boy in Cairo, Egypt, the event was the first time he had left his house in years. A volunteer at the host church shared that his “father and the mother were in tears the entire evening as they watched their son singing, dancing, and enjoying every minute of it. Ali made so many new friends. His mother told us that she now values her son as a gift, not as a curse. Praise God!”
The mother of a participant in North Macedonia shared, “Night to Shine doesn’t bring joy only during the event, but creates wonderful memories that my daughter cherishes and keeps talking about for a long time.”
Another volunteer reflected on a conversation they had with a guest: “As tears welled up in his eyes, he wanted to thank me, from the bottom of his heart, for putting on Night to Shine. He said that this is one of the only nights he feels like he can spend time with all his friends in the same place and truly live!”
The Tim Tebow Foundation started the Night to Shine event in 2015 to celebrate those with special needs and give dignity to people who are often overlooked.
Since then, the event has occurred every year, celebrating over 100,000 people annually.
However, the 2021 and 2022 events were conducted remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as people with special needs were at higher risk of contracting the disease.
With in-person events returning this year, Tebow reflected, “It’s a dream come true to see so many people come together from around the world to experience this one night, and to see each face reflect the love of Christ in their joyful smiles and beautiful spirits.”
Movieguide® previously reported on Night to Shine:
Micah Fowler, an actor with special needs, praised Tim Tebow’s Night to Shine as something “unique and special.”
Fowler recently attended the “Night to Shine,” a foundation created by Tebow that allows children with special needs to attend prom. Fowler plays a character who has cerebral palsy on the show SPEECHLESS.
Fowler said: “Our differences should be celebrated and this is one night that I know for sure I and my disability will be cherished and celebrated for exactly who I am and who I was made to be.”
That is exactly the goal Tebow wanted to achieve when he established the “Night to Shine.”
About six years ago, Tebow created the foundation to show the love that God has for those with special needs and disabilities. He wanted to reassure them that they were made in God’s image and to give the special needs community a night that held value and significance. More importantly, he reminded them that they are children of God.
The SPEECHLESS actor described the night as meaning “so much to him and the disabled community”, and almost 110,000 guests attended the prom. Along with Tebow, Fowler brought the kids and adults of the disabled community an abundance of joy.
As Tebow’s foundation has visited 34 countries and 720 churches, he thanks those who have participated in “making a difference around the world.” As of Fowler, he “can’t wait for next year” and regards Tim Tebow as his hero.
Tebow and Fowler’s message has made an impact worldwide and has shown the extraordinary love of Christ to the special needs community.
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