90-Year-Old Man Receives High School Diploma After Dropping Out to Serve in World War II

It was a big night for this 90-year-old Pennsylvania man, who has finally received his high school diploma after dropping out as a teenager to serve in World War II.

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Ronald Gilroy, 90, joined Carbondale Area High School's class of 2016 Wednesday night, walking across the stage to commemorate the achievement.

"I hearby present you with this diploma in gratitude for your service to this country, and also to our community," principal Joseph Farrell said as he handed Gilroy his high school diploma.

The diploma is more than 70 years overdue. According to WNEP, Gilroy dropped out of the school in 1943 to fight in World War II. Back then, it was still named Benjamin Franklin High School.

"When Ron was 17, he quit school and joined the U.S. Army," Farrell said.

For 10 years after the war ended, he continued to serve with the army, later going on to get married and have kids.

"He always worked to make sure that we had everything that we had," his daughter, who attended the graduation, told WNEP. "And he put us through school and through college, so we thought it would be good to do something for him."

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Though he didn't quite appear in full cap and gown attire, his granddaughter said Gilroy was just as nervous accepting his diploma on stage, in a suit.

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