83-year-old veteran receives diploma decades later
TAMPA (FOX 13) - A Tampa Bay area war veteran will receive his high school diploma Friday, decades later.
83-year-old Marty Sullivan will be graduating with the Newsome High School class of 2017. He was just a junior in high school when he was called to duty, and the Navy shipped him oversesas to fight in the Korean War.
But those missed classes have now been forgiven.
This morning, he's set to walk across the stage at the Florida State Fairgrounds and finally receive his diploma. It's a day some thought would never come.
“When I sit down by myself and I have a cold beer and I'll be thinking: What did I do all day today? I'll be wondering -- I know there were a couple of teachers who said I'd never get one of these. I wish to hell I could see them and wave it in their face," Sullivan said.
http://fldoe.org/academics/career-adult-edu/veterans-diplomas.stml