World’s Greatest Valentines
There’s no question that Valentine’s Day is not every high schooler’s favorite holiday. Sure, the couples who are all “hopelessly in love” absolutely adore this love filled holiday, but the other lonely single girls can’t help but feel left out. There are good intentions in the school selling roses for whoever wants to buy them for a special someone, but it’s definitely a fact that some girls will be neglected, (and none for Gretchen Weiners). One high school boy decided that this was not fair, and took it upon himself to buy every single girl in his high school a rose for Valentine’s Day.
This humble Utah student, Hayden Godfrey, bought flowers for more than 800 girls at his high school. As you can imagine, buying this many flowers was not an inexpensive feat for a 17-year-old high school student. Godfrey worked three different jobs over a year and a half in planning for his $450 purchase. Clearly, Hayden Godfrey did not decide to be cupid on a whim; his idea had grown over years and years of seeing the disappointment on girls faces who had not received a valentine. His mother, Erin Godfrey, told ABC News that her son first got the idea in Middle school. “That broke his heart on Valentine’s Day,” she told ABC News today, calling her son a “sensitive soul.” She added: “He wanted every girl to feel joy.”
So his life’s mission began. Since he was 14, Godfrey would send dozens of flowers to his friends anonymously. Every year the scheme grew larger, until he decided that he wanted to “make as many people as possible” happy this Valentine’s Day. Godfrey engaged the help of his friends to cut these 24-inch stems as they arrived at his house. Ordering the roses three weeks in advance, he gave them one day to bloom before loading them into his parents van and driving them to his high school on Thursday, February 11th.
Godfrey worked with his high school’s administration to carry out his plan. Assistant principal Curt Hanks assisted Hayden Godfrey by providing the headcount of all of the girls at Sky View High School and allowing him and his friends to interrupt the last period of school to hand out the carnations. With the help of volunteers, Godfrey handed out flowers to 834 girls that afternoon. If you’re reading this as a high school student, I know what you’re thinking. Does this amazing young man have a girlfriend? He is definitely boyfriend goals for most girls, but sadly he is already taken. And his girlfriend had no problem with him being 834 other girls’ Valentines as well. Fellow classmate, 18-year-old Lilyan Sharp, has called Godfrey’s gesture “very special.”
According to Hayden Godfrey’s Facebook post, he does not regret all of the time and money that went into this special day. “So I did a thing today. Today I passed out 900 carnations, one to every girl at SVHS and it was totally worth it,” Godfrey wrote on his Facebook on February 11th. It is no question that this boy’s heart is bigger than most. He went out of his way to make all girl’s feel special on Valentine’s Day and it did not go unnoticed. Now the expectations have risen for next year: which Air Academy boy would take on the challenge to make a girl’s day next February?
Hi my name is Audrey! I'm a senior this year and I am so excited to have a great year. I love reading, hiking, and hanging out with my friends. I am an...
Kayla Wiitala • Mar 2, 2016 at 10:04 am
That idea is awesome, and that’s quite a bit of money for flowers!
Emily Olson • Mar 2, 2016 at 9:59 am
This is an awesome act of kindness that’s great to hear about! Cool article.
Tali • Mar 2, 2016 at 9:55 am
good article! If only Hayden went to Air Academy