Graduation is a time to celebrate all of your academic triumphs after so many days of neverending studies. It’s a huge sigh of relief for any student strolling the catwalk with pride knowing that they’ve finally reached the finish line.
Very few things compare to that sweet moment when your name is called and your brilliance shines for all to witness. Some of us don’t get to recreate the same pleasant experience. In Bertha, Minnesota, a teenager suffered a malignant i!cide*t that left her unab-le to walk on stage. Julie Ellis left the tra*ic scene devastated that she would not see her journey come to a wishful end.
Ellis is diag*o**d with osteogenesis imperfecta, which is also referred to as brittle bone di*ea*e. The impact of the fall was extremely ha*d to watch for her family, friends, and fellow students, and school staff members.
She immediately followed up with surgery and therapy in order to regain her strength to try and walk down the runway one more time. Ellis’s trials and tribulations have inspired many to support her in her rehabilitation. So much so, in fact, that once news spread about Ellis returning home from the hospital, the comm-unity rall**d for support.
Sp-earhe-ading a surprise graduation was Koep himself who sought aid from those closest to Ellis for even more support.
Tears of joy flo-oded the floor as Ellis’s beloved friends and family joined to make the surprise event extra sweet and special. Ellis was clearly overcome with emotion as she saw how the fruit of her labor come to life after such a ha**owing turn of events.
It was the graduation that was least expected, but totally deserved given the ci*cumstances. The unf-orgett-able moment will be treas-ured by the community for a long time to come.
You can feel the positive vibes emanate from the smiles of all the supporters. No matter how ha*d it got, Ellis has proven that she’s tougher than her adversity in every sense of the word.
Ellis will need to undergo one more surgery on her legs before she can make a full recovery. If you’re interested in supporting her journey, be sure to check out her GoFundMe page with this link.