A terminally ill six-year-old
boy has been given an honorary diploma from a local high school during their
graduation ceremony.
Jordan Planitz suffers from
MPPH (Megalencephaly, Polymicrogyria, Polydactyly and Hydrocephalus) – a rare
and terminal neurological syndrome.
While it is unlikely little
Jordan will see his own graduation, kind students at the Tri-City High School
in Illinois invited him along to their ceremony.
They had gotten to know Jordan
during the ‘principal for a day’ initiative started by the now ex-principal
Dustin Day, which allowed sick children to come in and act as the school’s head
for a day.
Jordan’s mother, Deanna told
ABC News: ‘Jordan was invited, and we went and met the most amazing senior
class that you’ll ever come across.
‘They took care of him all
day, surrounded him going up and down stairs. It was a wonderful experience.’
Jordan’s has cogitative difficulties
due to his illness and has trouble walking up and down stairs.
Flanked by three senior
students, Jordan took to the stage to receive his honorary high-school diploma
during the ceremony.
Students rose to their feet
and applauded as the smiling youngster gleefully grasped his scroll wearing a
gown and even mortarboard.
While Jordan was delighted
with the honour, mum Deanna, who wept as her son’s name was announced,
described watching him receive it as a ‘bittersweet’ experience.
‘I was watching all of these
high school students getting up, receiving their diplomas and sitting down and
knew that I won’t have that,’ she said.
‘All Jordan knew that day was
that he was on stage and everybody was standing and clapping for him. It was
one of the most tearful and emotional days of my life.’
Reference: metro
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