“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.
"As I rocked our baby down for a nap I heard my phone vibrate as a text rolled in. It occurred to me then as I saw my spouse’s number pop up on my phone that I had not texted him earlier as I intended."
The baby's condition was "off the charts bad". It was so extreme, that the specialists stopped measuring and monitoring his brain's fluid level because, at that point, it didn't really matter.
"I am not saying it’s easy. It’s painful. And I feel bad for you if this is a daily struggle of yours. But the only way to get through is to keep moving forward with Jesus, knowing that He is caring, understanding, and loving in those terrible moments when you want to just quit trying."
