She wasn’t sitting among us and most of us didn’t even realise. Her name was announced but no one appeared for the handshake. We applauded mindlessly and slowly stopped. John Taylor continued to say that she had died before the completion of her studies in a car accident. Everyone’s heart sank. John resumed by saying that her brother would be receiving her certificate in her place and a young man appeared on stage. The loudest of applauses shook the room. The real kind. The kind that you can feel deep inside and which moves your heart.
No one would stop clapping and no one wanted to. It was important that she heard us where she was and I bet she did.
To you, Jess, in celebration of your life, I want to dedicate my own graduation. I wish you were there with us yesterday. I didn’t know you but I’d love to have met you. You are missed.
Will everyone just stop posting stuff that will make me cry this week? Please?
That is a beautiful tribute. Wow.
Congratulations on graduating, btw.
Your story made my heart clench for a moment. Good for them…and you…not stopping the clapping, I mean.
That’s so sad and very beautifully written.
You do realise that stuff like this makes me tear up (I am a total crybaby) and that makes my eyes red and I have to go shopping.
MA: No! Everyone knows you’re a big mean cold-hearted poopie head! 😛
criz ies owt. 😥
ey m knot poopie hed. jutr meen. axe ane1.
wow. that is amazing. just crazy.
kind-and-gentle-soul
see: admin
that is the SWEETEST thing! Crying over here!
Wow, that is incredibly touching, incredibly moving.
I take it though that this means you have graduated too? Where’s the celebration for you and all of your hard work? Where’s the joy, the pride and the congratulations?
What a nice tribute. Congratulations on graduating, and celebrating a life. You are all of the things everyone’s calling you up there in comments 😀
That is a really lovely tribute 🙂
Congratulations to you as well, hope it feels good to no longer be an undergrad!
Thank you all for your lovely words. I have nothing to add because this post was not about me or for me. It was for that girl and I’d like to leave it like that. You are all very sweet and sorry if this made you cry. *hugs everyone*
That’s incredibly sad. All that hard work and her whole life ahead of her.