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School Forces Student to Take Jesus Out of Graduation Speech, Plan Gloriously Backfires When She Drops This Line

“I’ve always been a rule follower. When they said not to chew gum, I didn’t chew gum. When they said not to use your cellphone, I didn’t use my cellphone. But today, in the spirit of defying expectations, and for perhaps the last time at this podium, I say..."

‘You Are Made in the Image of God’—Valedictorian’s Faith-Filled Graduation Speech Goes Viral for All the Right Reasons

A South Carolina high school valedictorian is going viral for her very faith-based graduation speech following a devastating tragedy.

High School Valedictorian Delivers Graduation Speech Hours After Dad’s Funeral

Early College High School valedictorian Alem Hadzic has gone viral after he took the stage at his graduation ceremony to deliver his speech—just hours after his father's funeral. 

“I Didn’t See Cards in the Nurse’s Hand During My Epidural. I Didn’t Hear ‘Go Fish’ as I Delivered My Child”

I don’t recall seeing a deck of cards in the hand of the one who held my hand tight the day I was given an epidural.

I don’t recall hearing “Go Fish” as I laid in the operating room while delivering my child.

I don’t remember seeing cards laying by my bedside when I had a reaction to the medication.

I don’t remember going to the desk the night my Mom was diagnosed with terminal cancer and seeing card games going on.

I don’t remember hearing “Your turn” as my Mom was being given chemo and radiation.

I don’t recall someone saying “Can you hold my cards so I can hold your Mom’s hand while she’s sick?”

You know what I do recall? All the nurses with both hands holding mine each time I gave birth to my sweet babies.


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The nurse that stood in the bathroom with me and gave me a shower after my C-section.

The nurse that sat with me in the hallway at the hospital when I couldn’t hold back the tears because I wasn’t sure my Mom was ever coming home again.

The nurse that helped carry my Mom when she was too weak to walk from the cancer.

The nurse that was on the helicopter with my Mom the day she died and said she made sure she held her hand because even after she passed she didn’t want her to be alone.

I never once saw hands full of a deck of cards, I’ve only seen the hands of nurses holding the hand of someone else.

**This post originally appeared on Grief To Hope with Nikki Pennington‘s Facebook page. 

School Forces Student to Take Jesus Out of Graduation Speech, Plan Gloriously Backfires When She Drops This Line

“I’ve always been a rule follower. When they said not to chew gum, I didn’t chew gum. When they said not to use your cellphone, I didn’t use my cellphone. But today, in the spirit of defying expectations, and for perhaps the last time at this podium, I say..."

‘You Are Made in the Image of God’—Valedictorian’s Faith-Filled Graduation Speech Goes Viral for All the Right Reasons

A South Carolina high school valedictorian is going viral for her very faith-based graduation speech following a devastating tragedy.

High School Valedictorian Delivers Graduation Speech Hours After Dad’s Funeral

Early College High School valedictorian Alem Hadzic has gone viral after he took the stage at his graduation ceremony to deliver his speech—just hours after his father's funeral.