GOSHEN Ala. (WSVN) — Among those graduating this season, a 101-year-old man is in the mix.
The graduates of Goshen High School in Alabama will be experiencing life after high school for the first time, except for 101-year-old John Motes. He’s already lived life after high school, he just never got his diploma.
“When he was in the 10th grade, he had a medical problem and wasn’t able to graduate,” said Motes’ wife Bettye. “He was out of school for a long time.”
Motes went into the Air Force when he was 18 as an engineer and served his country for years. However, always in the back of his mind was the diploma he never got in 1933.
Motes’ children said they are both proud and humbled to watch him achieve his dream.
School administration said they were surprised when Motes’ family reached out about the opportunity, considering that the time that’s passed stretches longer than they have been alive, but when they were asked. it was a no-brainer.
“We asked the seniors if they’d be willing to do it, and they were just beside themselves happy to do it,” said Goshen High School Assistant Principal Anthony May. “It was something that got sprung on us, but we we’re really happy to do it.”
Thursday morning, Motes’ day finally came and he finally received his high school diploma.
Motes plans on enrolling at the University of South Alabama in the Fall semester to study music.
Motes said he wants to live to at least 107, so there is still time to graduate.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.