State Watch

Helicopter prom stunt causes a stir in Chicago suburb

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by Alonzo Small and Patrick Elwood - 05/13/26 12:13 PM ET

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by Alonzo Small and Patrick Elwood - 05/13/26 12:13 PM ET

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MARKHAM, Ill. (WGN) — It was supposed to be a pre-prom gathering like no other, but a mother’s over-the-top helicopter stunt for her daughter has sparked cheers and controversy in Chicago’s south suburbs.

The mother behind it all is the chief of the Markham Park District, who arranged for a helicopter to land for a one-of-a-kind prom photo op for her daughter. Within moments of the chopper landing, Markham police intervened, however, and shut it all down.

Quamyra Brown was able to get some pics, but the flyover that her mother, Quintina Brown, had arranged never happened.

While Quintina acknowledged that the stunt may be excessive to some, she told Nexstar’s WGN that that was the intent. Brown revealed that she wanted to create a long-lasting experience, albeit with an $800 price tag.

Quintina Brown and Quamyra Brown. (Photo/WGN)

She said she doesn’t understand all of the fuss surrounding the stunt.

“She was graduating and this was going to be a memorable experience. I just wanted to be able to provide that for her,” Quintina said. “I did not think it was going to blow up as much as it did, sadly, but I’m glad she was happy and she was able to do her photo shoot despite the unexpected turn of events that transpired and unfortunately went viral.”

Quamyra added, “I was a little sad and disappointed because I didn’t know there was an issue with [the helicopter] being out here.”

Markham Park District board commissioner Kenneth Muldrow agreed with Quintina.

“So your contention is there’s nothing on the books that would prevent her from or prevent this thing from happening. Is that correct?” WGN asked.

“That is definitely correct. Absolutely not. There’s nothing on the books that would prevent this from happening,” Muldrow answered, while also expressing that he had no issue with the stunt despite the chatter.

But Markham Mayor Roger Agpawa told WGN that he disagrees with the sentiment, saying that the issue begins and ends with public safety.

“We want to make sure that things are safe. We had no notice, no anything,” Agpawa said.

The mayor spoke from experience, having flown and landed helicopters.

“I’ve landed them in neighborhoods. We’ve always had medical people on standby. We’ve had the fire department on standby. We’ve had spotters. We’ve had distances that were safe, that we knew that those propellers would not harm anyone,” he explained.

Quamyra Brown

For the stunt, officers issued tickets to both Quintina and the chopper pilot. The Village of Markham is also considering additional legal options.

Despite the citation, there’s nothing but appreciation for the prom girl herself, who said that she will always be thankful to her mom for what she did for her on her prom night, regardless of the outcome.

“It was super amazing. I had such a great time,” Quamyra said. “So I’m thankful for my mom. She brought everything together, so I’m thankful for that.”

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