DALLAS ― The Comerica Bank New Year's Day Parade stepped off in Downtown Dallas Friday.
The annual parade featured bands and cheerleaders from both teams playing in Saturday's AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington.
Among those, an Ole Miss cheerleader from North Texas who had her uniform stolen earlier this week but managed to get another one in time to cheer.
For many, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance to participate on the big stage, and no one knows that more than Gresham Hodges, the Ole Miss cheerleader who spent the week scrambling to replace her tailor-made uniform after it was stolen out of her SUV in Dallas.
"I'm borrowing bits and pieces of different uniforms of other girls on the team who didn't come," she said.
The uniforms can only be ordered and are approved by the NCAA. Coaches at The University of Mississippi managed to find extra pieces and sent them by bus overnight … just in time for Friday's parade and Saturday's big Cotton Bowl game.
"It was so exciting to be here,” Hodges said. “Everything has worked out splendidly, it's great to be with the team. I'm just thrilled."
Thieves may have stolen her uniform, but they couldn't take away her priceless memories this holiday weekend.
