A photo of a teen wearing a toga walking alone to a bus stop to attend high school graduation took the internet by storm. People cannot help but express their respect and admiration to the will and determination the student named Corey Patrick has shown.
After all, the graduating student consistently wakes up at around 4 AM in the morning for years, in order to finish his senior year.
Corey’s picture of his journey to his high school graduation was captured by a MAX bus driver and was uploaded on Facebook, since then it has garner more than thousands of likes and shares from people all over the world.
Netizens felt a tug on their hearts while looking at the bittersweet picture of the admirable teenager. Who wouldn’t feel for the young man has to wake up early and bear a long ride on a bus alone in order to attend his graduation?
Rickey Smiley, a local radio host of Birmingham Alabama station 95.6 Jamz, saw the trending photo of Corey Patrick and asked his followers to help him identify the admirable and determined young man walking to his high school graduation.
“His determination for success must be praised and recognized. Corey teaches us all a great lesson about endurance and how to push through no matter our circumstances.” The radio host shared his respect to the determination and willpower exercised by Corey at a young age.
“I need you to go and get your driver’s license. We’re going to buy you a car,” Rickey Smiley told Corey after inviting him into his radio studio. True to his words, a day after, he congratulated Corey again for his graduation and as a gift, handed him over a brand new car.
Photo | Ricky Smiley
Corey’s family shared that Rickey’s brand new car gift is the first car of the family. They did not own a vehicle or any transportation to get Corey on his graduation, telling Corey that riding the bus is the best bet for him to go to his graduation on time.
Felicia White, Corey’s mother, said that the rest of his family was able to get a ride and made it on time for his graduation. “He’s a great young man. He’s very quiet, reserved, humble and he gets a little hardheaded sometimes, but he’s a very obedient child and I’m proud of Corey.” She also shared how proud she is of her hardworking son.
“Corey was getting up at 4.30 in the morning and had to be at the bus stop at 5.41 in the morning for the last year,” Ms White her son’s daily routine over the year. She is also truly grateful for the overwhelming message support her son and her family have been receiving from people.
Aside from multitude of messages of admiration and support, Corey also received a number of scholarship from different universities. The next school year, Corey will be a full scholar college student of Jacksonville State University.
But while waiting for the school year to start, he’s now working hard to get a driver’s license! It is good to know that from now on, Corey wouldn’t need to wake up too early in the morning and bear a tiring 4:30 am to 7 pm.
“It means everything to me,” Corey expressed his gratitude in an interview as he sits on his brand new car, adding how he had no idea that his story would touch over thousand of people from different parts of the world.
Truly, as Marie Norfleet would say, having the three D’s in your life: determination, dedication, and discipline will lead you to the kind of success more than you have dreamed of!
Watch the video below and witness the priceless reaction of a truly deserving dedicated young man, as he received a brand new car from Rickey Smiley.