Nyla Covington, a Forrest County Agricultural High School senior, gained national notoriety following her school’s homecoming game on Sep. 24. When she won the title of homecoming queen, she immediately gave away her crown to her friend and fellow senior maid Brittany Walters, who’s mother, A.J. Walters, had passed away just that morning.
“I wanted her to know that she was her mom’s queen,” Covington said. “I told her that I loved her when I hugged her, and she said she loved me too. I’m just happy that I made her happy.”
Photos of her act of kindness quickly went viral on social media. One TikTok post currently has over 3 million views, and both girls said they have been inundated with support and people saying Nyla inspired them to do something nice for others.
“It makes me emotional,” Covington said. “All of these people paying attention, and it’s bringing a positive impact. I read in the comments online that people were trying to find something nice to do, and then people would come back to the post to report what they did. It became a chain of good deeds.”
On Monday, Oct. 18, the Forrest County Sheriff Charlie Sims honored Covington at the regular Forrest County Board of Supervisors meeting with the first Sheriff’s Citizenship Award.
“Despite what may be currently happening in other parts of our country, Nyla’s actions serve as a beacon of hope and inspiration for all of us that there are still good people in the world willing to place others before themselves,” Sims said. “She’s inspired a lot of people, and she’s inspired our administrative staff.
“We have formed a committee and will be looking for these acts of love, compassion, kindness from other people in the future, but there was absolutely no doubt in their minds or mine that Nyla should be the first recipient of that award.”
Following the award, the board of supervisors issued a proclamation in recognition of Covington’s actions and naming Oct. 18, 2021 — Covington’s 18th birthday — Nyla Covington Day.
“It is fitting and proper that a permanent record of Nyla’s extraordinary act of love and friendship be made in the minutes of this board, the same having brought local, state and national renown to the families involved, her school and our shared community,” reads the proclamation. “Now, therefore, it be proclaimed and resolved that the Forrest County Board of Supervisors hereby recognizes and commends Misses Nyla Covington for her exceptional character demonstrated on the night September 24, 2021.”
Supervisors and FCAHS alums, Chis Bowen of District 5, and Rod Woullard of District 4, also gave Nyla special messages of support.
“I’m a member of the class of 1972, that was a class of integration,” Woullard said. “You are a product of what happened back then because the whole world said that it couldn’t be done — we couldn’t get together, love one another, school together, eat in restaurants together — but you are the kind of proof that it can be done. God knows that I appreciate what you did, and I will never forget it, because it is an example for all of us of love and humility.”
Bowen, meanwhile, simply exclaimed, “That’s Aggie strong, baby!”
