Watch: Bryce Harper Helps Teenage Fan With Surprise Prom Proposal

The 31-year-old Philadelphia Phillies player Bryce Harper assisted Haddonfield Memorial High School senior Jake Portella in pulling off the prom proposal of a lifetime.

By Blesson Daniel

Published on May 22, 2024 | 06:14 PM IST | 43K

Bryce Harper [Credit-Instagram@bryceharper3]

In this Article

Bryce Harper makes his fans' day by helping him with a prom proposal
Bryce Harper’s house is easy to access

If you're a high school student looking for the ideal method to ask someone to the prom, Bryce Harper is eager to be your wingman for the big occasion. The Philadelphia Phillies hero escorted a fan from Haddonfield Memorial High School in New Jersey to a young woman's residence to invite her to the prom.

Bryce Harper makes his fans' day by helping him with a prom proposal

Jake Portello, a senior at the school, revealed on The Phantastic Sports Show that he convinced Harper to participate in the event simply by going to his house and asking him.

"I knocked on his door. He seemed cool with it at first, then he was like, 'Can I get your email so we can plan this out?' and as I was leaving he was like, 'Why don't we do this right now?'" Portello said.

Based on the footage, Harper appears to be an excellent wingman. He asked the young woman, Giulia, if she wanted to attend the prom with Jake. The two-time NL MVP may not be as skilled at it as, say, Vince Vaughn's character in Swingers, but it was sufficient to complete the task.

One disadvantage of the arrangement, at least for Jake, is that Giulia originally appeared more interested in Harper's presence than his. Harper received the first embrace before Giulia approached Jake.

Bryce Harper’s house is easy to access

It is unclear if Giulia is a fan of the Phillies or Harper. Her reaction when she answered the door suggests that she recognizes him, which is a bonus. It would have been awkward if she had appeared perplexed at who was asking her to the prom for Jake.

Another aspect of this situation that is uncertain is the availability of Harper's home address. Jake's account of the scenario did not make it sound like he had any difficulty finding the location.

"I wasn't expecting this. I thought it'd be something cool among my friends and people in my town and stuff," Jake said on The Phantastic Sports Show. "I didn't even expect [Harper] to open the door in the first place."

Harper never had the opportunity to attend a prom while growing up. He dropped out of high school two years early to get his GED, then enrolled at the College of Southern Nevada to become draft-eligible at the age of 17 in 2010.

Unfortunately, Harper will not be able to supervise the Haddonfield Memorial High School prom on June 14. The Philadelphia Phillies will face the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards on that night.