Teen Heart Transplant Recipient Excited To Attend Prom

MIAMI (CBS4) - On Saturday, a high school girl will experience something she thought at times would never happen.

She's going to the prom.

Heart problems were detected in Kelly Morales when she was 14 years old.  She had to stop every few minutes just to be able to breathe.  Just when things were at their worst, she got a heart transplant.

CBS4 conjured up a plan to help her realize her dream of the perfect prom.

On February 14, 2013, just a day after her heart transplant, Kelly played the keyboard in front of a room full of media. She explained that her music helped her get through some of her toughest times.

Her biological mother died of the same heart condition when Kelly was just a toddler.

After getting this second chance at life, CBS4's Cynthia Demos pulled Kelly aside and said, "What are you looking forward to the most now that you can walk and breathe and function like a normal 18 year old."  Kelly looked back with a smile and said; "the prom!"

That's when an idea was born.

Finances were an issue because her dad left his job for a couple of months to be at the hospital and her stepmother lost her job, things were tough.

With medical bills mounting, CBS4 decided to call Bloomingdale's at The Falls to see what they could do in the way of a prom dress and perhaps some shoes and purse too.

The first stop at Bloomingdales was the makeup department.  The makeup artists got Morales ready to go on a major shopping excursion, making sure to even cover up the scar on her chest from her surgery.

"it's one of our core values to give back to the community in which we thrive," Bloomingdale's General Manager Beth Rothstein said. "It's our pleasure."

Rothstein even helped Morales as she tried on a light green dress that was short in the front and longer in the back.

"I love it," said Morales.

Kelly chose a beautiful purple long, one-shoulder dress with rhinestone cut outs on the left side of her waist.

She thought silver platform, 6 inch heals were the perfect fit along with a multi-colored hand bag.  The total cost of the outfit was around $2,000.

Kelly was ecstatic.

"I love this all, thank you so much... and I can't wait for all the attention," Kelly said.