Jack Kingrea

Jack Kingrea had been in the hospital for nearly a month when his care team at LewisGale Medical Center delivered the good news. Jack, a patient in the inpatient rehab unit, would be going home after a hard-fought recovery.

Hospital staff normally organize small celebrations when long-stay patients are discharged. When Jack’s occupational therapist, Mariah, told him it would be like a graduation ceremony, Jack began tearing up. He shared that he missed his high school graduation 62 years ago because he had to work instead, and never had a graduation.

Mariah knew this was an important milestone. Word spread around the hospital of a celebration, one much larger than they usually throw. Inpatient rehab staff collected graduation supplies and even found a cap and gown for Jack to wear. Staff piled into the inpatient rehab gym for a special surprise graduation ceremony to honor Jack.

Jack wheeled himself down to the gym, turned the corner, and found nearly 50 people cheering him on, ready to celebrate him. They formed a human tunnel down the middle of the gym as Jack walked through to the end, high-fiving everyone along the way. Staff lifted canes taped with graduation decorations high in the air while Pomp and Circumstance played in the background. By the time he made it to the end of the line, Jack was in tears, as were many of the attendees.

Sitting under a sign hung from the ceiling celebrating his achievement, Jack stood up from his wheelchair to a walker and was given a graduation cap, medal, and diploma for his success in the program. The team also celebrated with cake to mark a ceremony decades overdue.