Victoria “Tori” Reyes ’17, a member of the the Best Buddies program at LT, was just anointed queen of Countryside with the help from her friend Kate Dillon ’19. As the queen, Reyes, alongside Dillon, will lead the first ever Countryside St. Patrick’s Day Family Parade.

“Tori has been such a huge part of my LT experience,” Dillon said.  “She’s honestly one of the sweetest and funniest people I’ve ever met.”

The parade is on March 5 starting at 1 p.m. at Countryside Park on 61st Street and ending at 55th Place and Edgewood.  This year’s parade will benefit the Kelli Joy O’Laughlin Memorial Foundation, which is a foundation that awards scholarships to young people in honor of the late Kelli O’Laughlin.  Alongside of the queen, this year’s grand marshals of the parade are John and Brenda O’Laughlin, Kelli’s parents and foundation founders.

“We wanted to start our own parade in a way that got the community involved,” event chairperson Tim Ryan said to the Chicago Tribune.

Reyes, who has Down Syndrome, was selected after Dillon submitted a letter to the parade committee as to why Reyes should be the queen of the parade, Dillon said.  Reyes was then selected out of seven applicants in the Best Buddies program to be Countryside’s first St. Patrick’s Day queen.  Upon being anointed queen Reyes was given a crown, sash, shamrock plant, Irish flag and key to the town of Countryside.

According to Tori’s mother, Becki Reyes, Ryan was present at LT’s Special Olympics’ Pack the Place event, witnessing Tori’s 200 plus supporters cheer her on.  Upon reading Dillon’s letter and making the connection to the game, Ryan said he knew Tori would fill the position well.

“I don’t think anybody that’s ever gotten to know her hasn’t completely fallen in love with her. She’s just a riot to be around,” Reyes said to CBS Chicago.

Tori and Dillon have been buddies since fall of 2015.  Outside of the Best Buddies program and Special Olympics basketball, Tori is a cheerleader for LT football, swimmer and bowler.

“[Tori is] kind of like a superfan for her high school,” Reyes said to CBS Chicago.  “She’s just really proud to go to that school, and if it’s something for LT, she wants to be a part of it.”