Steve Carell surprised some Southern California high school students affected by the devastating Los Angeles wildfires with free prom tickets.
The 62-year-old actor made the announcement in a video posted on Instagram and shown to to senior students at six different high schools in Altadena, Calif.
“Attention. Attention, all seniors. This is Steve Carell with a very special announcement,” Carell said in the video. “I work with a wonderful charity based out of Virginia called Alice’s Kids. And Alice’s Kids wanted me to let you know that they will be paying for all of your prom tickets.”
“If you have already paid for your prom tickets, they will reimburse you for your prom tickets. It’s a pretty good deal,” he said, adding, “Have fun. Enjoy the prom. And remember, this is Steve Carell. Take it easy, guys.”
Alice’s Kids will be donating $175,000 towards prom costs, covering tickets for more than 800 students to attend prom.
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“Going to prom should be a celebration, and we wanted to help make the big night just a little easier for seniors whose lives have been turned upside down by the wildfires,” Ron Fitzsimmons, executive director of Alice’s Kids, said in a statement. “Hopefully this allows the students to unwind and have some fun after a devastating year.”
A video was posted of students at John Muir High School cheering as they were surprised with Carell’s video during a school assembly.
Alice’s Kids also shared videos on X of other high schools playing the video for the senior students.
“I know there are a lot more of folks in here that are way better at math than me. We have 222 seniors. Tickets for the prom are $185. So how much of a value is this surprise,” one teacher said to her students, adding that the total is over $40,000.
Carell’s gesture proves that he’s not like his The Office character, Michael Scott, who made an empty promise to underprivileged third graders with his Scott’s Tots program, saying he would pay their full college tuition if they graduated from high school. When they graduated, Scott had to reluctantly visit their school and let them know he was unable to fulfil his promises.
In January, the Eaton and Palisades fires, ignited by strong winds during one of the region’s driest years on record, killed at least 29 people and destroyed more than 12,000 structures, putting them among the most destructive fires in California history.
It also scorched school campuses, upending the lives of thousands of students and parents who were left scrambling looking for classrooms for their kids to go to.
— With files from The Associated Press
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