“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.
"Suddenly I felt my phone vibrate within my pocket, unexpectedly I realized, for not many people contacted me at such an early hour. I pulled out the cell and was surprised to see a message from my spouse. He must not have gone back to sleep after I left..."
