“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..."
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 texted him first, you see. I had spent the past four days off with my spouse, and by ten in the morning, as I spent the day at work, I realized I was missing him. So I reached for my phone, and I sent a simple yet honest message... I could immediately see the bubble of response coming my way."
