A 101-year-old man who had to leave college to serve in World War II has finally walked his graduation ceremony.
A veteran named Fred Taylor was given the incredible opportunity to participate in his graduation ceremony, a remarkable occasion that was 80 years in the making.
The California resident attended Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa in 1943, but this suddenly shifted after he left school to become a member of the Army Air Corps Reserve during WWII.
His temporary deployment prevented him from attending his graduation ceremony where he was expected to pick up his degree in music.
Watch the heartwarming moment Fred walked at his graduation below:Eight decades later, Fred was able to experience the fulfillment of that long-awaited achievement thanks to his daughter, Linda Taylor. According to Cornell College, Linda - who is a professor - gifted her father with tickets to Iowa so he could finally attend the ceremony.
"You know that feeling when you give somebody you love something really special that delights them and delights you even more? Better late than never, I think!", Linda said.
Fred spoke about his daughter's assistance in helping him accomplish an incomplete dream and said: "Linda mentioned this idea a long time ago, but it was a big surprise to me that she had gone ahead and made the arrangements to do it. So, of course, I'm surprised and excited about it."
While the veteran finished his music degree requirements at Cornell College, he can vividly recall what happened on the day he left school for a brief military service.
"Shortly after the Pearl Harbor attack, I and a number of my friends at Cornell joined the Army Air Corps Reserve because we’d rather be in the Air Corps than a foot soldier. The Army Reserves, then, were activated in February of my senior year. On Feb. 19, 1943, we had to leave and went to Jefferson Barracks in Missouri for basic training," he said.
Before attending his long-delayed graduation, Fred reflected on his time at college, expressing that it shaped the important parts of his life: "For my work and occupation and then meeting Peggy there. I married her and of course, that shaped the rest of my life. The college was extremely important to me."
He revealed that his father drove to the school to pick up his diploma while he served in the military - which concluded in the fall of 1945. He later obtained a master’s degree in music education from Drake University and became a music teacher, first in Iowa and then in California where he retired.
The wonderful man spoke about the significance of the event, stating that it was a moment for him to finish an important chapter in his life, adding: "Well, it really ties the ribbon on it and makes me feel like now, now it's complete," as reported by KCRG.
Congratulations, Fred!
