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Retailer Saves Teen's Prom Dreamby Denise Bonilla It's not unusual for a prom date to go up in flames. But Samantha Rivera's prom was still more than a month away when she saw her prom dress burn to ashes. The William Floyd High School senior's house caught fire Friday and her family lost everything - including the gown she bought at Estelle's Dressy Dresses in Farmingdale 2 weeks ago. Luckily, during a trip to the store yesterday, Rivera found the same dress and owner Estelle Rosenthal gave it to her for free. "I was thrilled," said Rivera, 17. "My dad's been out of work and my family has very little." When Rivera first saw the pink, satin strapless Jessica McClintock prom dress hanging in Estelle's, she told friends it was so ugly she didn't even want to try it on. But as soon as the high school senior put the $109 dress on and looked in the mirror, she fell in love with it. "It looks like a 50's style dress," said Rivera, who is an Elvis and James Dean fan. "It has that elegant look to it." Rivera went home ready for her first prom, scheduled June 3 at the Huntington Townhouse. On Friday, around noon, her father Ricardo was working in their backyard when he noticed smoke coming from the top floor of their two story Shirley house. He got his two children out, grabbed some family photos and escaped juts before the house was engulfed in flames. Four fire departments battled the blaze, which destroyed the top floor and left the bottom floor in ruins. Rivera lived with her parents six siblings and four other family members. No one in the family was hurt. Fire officials said it was an electrical fire, Rivera said. "The family is staying with Rivera's aunt who lives in Shirley. When Rivera came home from school, her first thoughts were of her family's safety. "I looked at my house and there was nothing left." She said. "I just wanted everyone to be OK." She cried for a bit, regained her composure and then remembered the dress. She didn't even look for it, she said. She knew it had been hung in her mother's closet on the top floor. Yesterday, Rivera went to Estelle's to see if she could find the same dress. After a panicked search she saw it - the last one in her size. After she told her, "Give her the gown," said store owner Estelle. "Every girl's prom dream should come true." Cordes said Estelle gives away 350 prom dresses every year in a drawing that attracts thousands of teens. "I couldn't believe people were doing this for me." Rivera plans to attend Suffolk Community College in the fall and eventually become a social worker. In the meantime, she is eagerly anticipating wearing her new dress. "I'm keeping it with my aunt," she said. "I don't want anything to happen to this one. |