Let the celebration begin! It’s time to celebrate the hard work and fortitude Josh has shown to reach one of life’s foremost milestones, high school graduation. For anyone, high school graduation is a huge milestone and recognized as a major achievement in our society. However, there is so much more to this graduation, the fact that Josh had overcome a catastrophic injury to position himself for this moment, without missing a beat. The celebration began Thursday June 3 with Grad Night at Disneyland. The senior class of Valley View High School joined many other schools in southern California at the annual Grad Night; a casual, all-night event at Mickey’s house. Under the advice of Dad, Josh had about a 3-hour nap prior to going, knowing how difficult a long night a Disneyland would be. The anticipation of an all night party made it difficult to relax, but he did. Josh and his fellow students arrived at school to load the chartered buses for the trip at 7 pm. The atmosphere was electric as parents and students were flashing pictures capturing the moment. The eager students boarded the buses and away they went. Now, this is the part of the story, which gets a little fuzzy, as details were not exactly forthcoming. “I had a blast! There were tons of people at Disneyland and the club scene was awesome,” Josh did reveal. “I danced more here than I did at Prom last year,” he said. The once paralyzed stroke victim had danced his way through the night. The students returned to school around 7 am Friday morning and it was easy to see the depletion of the weary teenagers. Most of us would look forward to a long sleep after a night of fun, but Josh had other responsibilities to attend. “Dad, I’ve got to get back to school and finish a final in one of my classes,” he said. After a quick two-hour nap, the kid was up and returned to school to complete his last academic task of high school. However, the day wasn’t over yet; we had senior awards later that evening. For a stroke victim, sleep and complete rest is essential. To say Josh was tired at this point is an understatement, yet he continued with the days plan. Josh was on the 
list to receive an award, although prior to arriving, we had no idea what the honor would be. That evening, Josh received The Most Improved Senior Award for his dedication in returning to school after a debilitating injury. Walking to the podium and receiving his certificate, they announced to the crowd a brief glimpse of Josh’s triumph and his determination to return to school and walk with his class. Teachers, students, and parents all stood in a moving ovation for the comeback kid. Mom, Dad, Grandma, sister, along with others were showing tears of emotion for a young man who had obviously touched and inspired many with his story. After the ceremony, several people in the crowd came to congratulate and expressed their admiration for Josh, encouraging him to continue. It was truly a night to remember. Josh would like to thank the teachers, staff, and students of Valley View High School for their support over the past two years, and making his senior year a gem in his new life.
