Teen Celebrated A Make-Shift Graduation By His Mom's Bedside One Day Before She Passed
The high school graduate got to celebrate one final milestone with his mom.
YouTube A high school senior from Oklahoma spent one last milestone with his mother before she lost her life. Caleb Woodrum, who attended Blanchard High School, celebrated graduation with his mother, Stacey, during her hospital stay, on March 28, 2023, months before his school’s official graduation.
The teen graduated in a make-shift ceremony by his mom’s bedside just one day before she passed away.
Woodrum's mother battled congestive heart failure for a decade and her illness had grown progressively worse with time. Woodrum’s sister-in-law, Cara Harris, told KFor that the hospital reached out to her “and they said, ‘Listen, things are getting bad and the only thing that she wants is to see her youngest son graduate.’”
The community gathered together to ensure that Stacey would see her son graduate from high school.
“We showed up and literally they had food, they had decorations. They went above and beyond. Like we were not expecting that at all. It was amazing,” Harris stated.
Woodrum graduated from high school at the hospital, so his sick mother could participate in the festivities.
“A lot of people were supporting me,” Woodrum explained. My school, the Southwest medical staff, but especially my family. That was a moment that really made me proud. I didn’t expect the hospital to go above and beyond, but it was truly amazing what they did, and especially my principal, Mr. Jackson.”
Photo: KFor / YouTube
Blanchard High School principal Greg Jackson gave Woodrum his diploma while Woodrum’s mom watched. As Woodrum held his mother's hand, Jackson exclaimed, "It is my pleasure and honor to name him a graduate of Blanchard High School."
Jackson explained how meaningful the graduation ceremony was, saying, "We'd do it again tomorrow if we had to. We'd go anywhere to make that happen. Any teacher, administrator, that's what we do for kids."
Stacey passed away the next day, on her birthday. Woodrum explained that “she was ready to go.”
“She got to the point where she pulled me aside and she said, ‘I’m tired.’ And I said, ‘It’s okay. It’s okay to be tired.’ She made the choice to take her oxygen off, so she made that decision and she was ready,” the graduate stated.
Woodrum walked in his official graduation ceremony on May 15, 2023. He reported that he planned “to walk across the stage with her in my arms, with her ashes.”
He explained just how close he was with his mom, stating “I have a really good relationship with her. I took care of her… she did want to see me graduate. She did want to see me go to college. Unfortunately, she won’t have the chance to do that. But she got to see me graduate high school, which I know is one of the biggest accomplishments for me and her.”
Of the bedside graduation itself, Woodrum said, “It was probably one of the greatest moments I’ve actually ever had.” Woodrum shared a meaningful life transition with his mother, who held on long enough to send him into his future as a high school graduate.
Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team. She covers celebrity gossip, pop culture analysis and all things to do with the entertainment industry.