19-Year-Old Puts on Hospital Graduation for His Terminally Ill Mother

Doctors said she wouldn't make it to the graduation.

A 19-year-old made sure his mother’s dying wish came true: to see him graduate high school.

Stephanie Northcott was diagnosed with cancer in 2015 and doctors gave her ten months to live, but the mother-of-two was determined to see her son, Dalton Jackson, graduate high school.  

She far surpassed the ten months doctors gave her, but late last month doctors said her time was very limited. She wasn’t sure she would make it to Dalton’s graduation at Halls High School on May 18.

“For two years, that’s all Stephanie talked about,” Stephanie’s close friend, Julie Northcott, told InsideEdition.com. “She kept telling me, ‘all I wanna do is make it to Dalton’s graduation.’”

Julie decided she would take matters into her own hands, along with the Dalton and the help of friends, to make Stephanie's dream come true.

On May 4, after gaining the help of school officials and friends of Dalton’s, the family held a graduation for Dalton inside of the chapel at the hospital.

Nurses wheeled Stephanie down to the chapel in her hospital bed.

As “Pomp and Circumstance” played, Dalton walked into the chapel wearing his cap and gown.

With 20 other senior students in attendance, some wearing caps and gowns, Dalton received his diploma from the school’s principal, Suzanne Keefe.

“It was just like a real ceremony,” Julie said.

At the end of the ceremony, Dalton shared one last dance with his mother to the song “I Won’t Let Go.”

“Stephanie cried tears of joy. She was so happy that she was there but she was also so sad that this was it,” Julie said.

Stephanie passed away on Friday morning.

“I am just blessed that me and her got as close as we did and I was able to do that for her,” she added.

The family has set up an account for donations to help with Stephanie’s funeral costs.

To donate, click here.

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