Phoenix Teacher Fulfills Graduation Promise to Student Who Lost Both Parents

A high school teacher in Phoenix made a promise to one student that he would see her cross the graduation stage, and though the physical commencement ceremony was canceled, Jeff Schrock kept that promise.

This video shows the emotional moment for a student who lost both of her parents, and almost her own life, in a car accident in February of 2019. During the family’s last trip together, the student’s father told her that he wanted to see his daughter graduate high school with honors.

In this video, the school’s assistant principal becomes tearful as he commends the student for fulfilling her father’s last wish.

Schrock said he visited his student in the hospital and promised her that he would see her graduate. He told Storyful, “After crushing her rehab and fulfilling her father’s last wish, it was now up to me to fulfill my promise to her.” He admittedly had to “pull some strings” to hold the small graduation ceremony, but found it important to keep his promise.

She received her diploma in the martial arts clinic where she trains. Her martial arts trainer, Lawrence Robinson, and his wife took the student in after her parents’ accident.

“It is due to the support from that tight social network of the martial arts community that made her recovery possible,” Schrock said. “I’ve just been inspired by her fight and resiliency through it all.” Credit: Jeff Schrock via Storyful