Massena business owner comes to the rescue on prom night

Bob Beckstead, Watertown Daily Times, N.Y.
·2 min read

Jun. 27—MASSENA — A local business owner made sure Adrianna Summers was still able to attend her Massena Central High School prom after her dress was ruined in a fire the night of the event.

The Norfolk and Massena volunteer fire departments responded to the fire in Norfolk. After everything was under control, they realized that the dress was among the items in the home, and only a couple of hours remained until the prom was to begin.

That's when firefighters and Robin LaDue-Debien sprung into action. Mrs. LaDue-Debien is a member of the Massena Volunteer Fire Department's auxiliary and also owns Carriage House Bridal in downtown Massena.

"The Norfolk fire chief came to me and said, 'You might know somebody that can help us. The prom dress got ruined inside that fire. Do you know anybody that can help?' I said, 'Absolutely, 100%. Her son is sitting right there, Corey Debien," Massena 2nd Assistant Chief Thomas C. Miller said.

Mr. Debien phoned his mother, and the process of getting a new prom dress began.

"Robin bounced right into action. She met the girl down there and it was just a beautiful finish," Mr. Miller said.

Mrs. LaDue-Debien said she and her husband, James, were heading to an event when she got the call from her son.

"He said, 'I need your help if you can help me. A young lady lost her dress in the fire. Can you help her out?' I said I would be more than happy to. I wouldn't have thought any different," she said.

Ms. Summers originally purchased her dress from Carriage House Bridal, and her date, Asa Douglas, had also purchased his tuxedo there.

"I would have done it for anybody. Had she not come here, I still would have done it. My son called me and they needed help. It's just what we do," Mrs. LaDue-Debien said.

On the night of the prom, "She came in, she tried on a few. She picked the one she liked. We did a really quick hem job," she said.

She also supplied Ms. Summers with some jewelry to accentuate the dress.

"I hope she had a wonderful night after she left here because that's what it was really all about. I'm happy that I was able to help Adrianna," she said.

Mr. Miller said some of the firefighters offered to pay for the dress.

"Robin said absolutely not," he said. "Because of Robin Debien, that girl was able to live her dream to attend her prom."