88-Year-Old Woman Fulfills Lifelong Dream of Earning High School Diploma
"It was the one thing I had wanted all my life," she said.
— -- At 88 years old, Frankie Sprabary has finally fulfilled her lifelong dream of earning a high school diploma.
Sprabary, who was born and raised in Lewisville, Texas, had been set to graduate from the town's high school nearly 71 years ago in May of 1946.
But just a few months before, she was badly injured in a car accident that left her homebound and unable to finish school.
"Life just happened, and I never got the opportunity to go back and get my diploma," she told ABC News today. "It was the one thing I had wanted all my life."
Paul Sprabary, Frankie Sprabary's youngest son, said he only found out his mother never got to finish high school during a recently family dinner in mid-January.
"When she was telling her story, I could just hear the pain in her voice, and the regret," Paul Sprabary, 50, told ABC News today. "I wanted to be able to help her close that chapter of her life."
Putting his words into action, Paul Sprabary said he called Lewisville High School, told them the story and asked if there was any way they could help get her an honorary diploma.
"I thought maybe we could get her one in a nice frame and gift it to her, but what actually happened totally exceeded what I could have expected or dreamt of, he said.
On Monday, Lewisville High School recreated an entire traditional high school graduation ceremony, complete with a march to "Pomp and Circumstance," speeches from school district officials and a full auditorium packed with hundreds of students.
"If we were going to do this, we wanted to do this right," said the high school's principal, Jeffrey Kajs.
"Lewisville High School has been here for 119 years, and we have a lot of history, tradition and pride," Kajs told ABC News today. "One thing that's been consistent throughout time is that we always look out for each other and seize opportunities to our school family."
Paul Sprabary said his favorite moment from the ceremony was right after his mother received her diploma.
"I just saw her look out upon the hundreds and hundreds of students and smile," he said. "Just to see that smile and watching her take in that moment was the best feeling. She was finally able to close that chapter of her life and heal."
Though Frankie Sprabary has finally fulfilled her lifelong dream, she has no plans of slowing down anytime soon.
"I'm hoping to publish a personal cookbook soon," she said. "I like to keep some projects going for myself. My doctor said that's the reason why I've been able to accomplish what I have because I'm always planning something interesting to do. It's important."
