Greenville, SC (Greenville News) - On Tuesday evening Joshua Vaughn donned a cap and gown for an early high school graduation ceremony in front of friends and family.
In the audience, a tearful Nicholas Hughes looked on, his final wish fulfilled.
Hughes was diagnosed with colon cancer last year. After months of treatment and a grueling surgery, he entered hospice care. It meant he likely wouldn't see the young man he helped raise as his own son graduate from high school in the spring.
At Wren Hospice, Jamie Hester decided to make an early graduation ceremony happen. It took three days, and a team of volunteers, to pull together the special event at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Greer.
Hughes had no idea the ceremony had been planned. His wife, Kami, told him they were going out to eat Tuesday evening.
"I think I barely got to my seat before I learned what was going on," Hughes said with a smile.
Family and friends packed the first several rows of pews at Pleasant Grove Baptist to celebrate early and see that Hughes got his wish. A few of Vaughn's friends dressed in graduation gowns, too, and walked with him down the aisle.
"It was amazing," Hughes said afterward.
Before his diagnosis, Hughes and Vaughn were planning to head to Florida to attend the Motorcycle Mechanics Institute together. Vaughn just had to finish school.
That's still Vaughn's plan, though he said if it doesn't work out, he'd like to work as an auto mechanic.
He's set to graduate from Byrnes High School this spring. He said the ceremony is giving him the motivation to make it through school.
