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August 7, 2018, was supposed to be the greatest day of my life, but something tragic happened. I remember it like it was yesterday. I woke up with a giddy feeling, joy and exuberance running all through my body. I finally did it; graduation day! Everything that I’ve worked so hard for; I’ve cried and sweated for this moment. Stayed up many nights for long hours to the crack of dawn. It was all worth it. I was finally going to cross that stage. I went throughout my day with the feeling of excitement and anxiousness, as my graduation was the last ceremony at FAU for that day. I returned to my parents’ hotel smiling from ear to ear. I got ready, practicing in the mirror how I would walk across the stage when my name would be called. “MARK DUANE HODGES II!” I grab my cap and gown and headed for the door. My whole family was there, my mom, dad, and both of my sisters. They travelled over 5000 miles from the island of Oahu, Hawaii, for my graduation. It was nothing that could bring me down. That was until we received the terrible news.
The graduates are in the conference room near the student union, and we’re trying to get aligned for entering the auditorium. An FAU staffer enters the room and says, “We need everyone to vacate the premises in an orderly fashion. There is a bomb threat in the auditorium. This is not a drill. The graduation ceremony has been cancelled.” At that moment, it felt as if a sword was pierced straight through my heart, and I instantly lost my breath. I walked out of the room, shocked, confused, scared, disappointed, lifeless. I felt like I had just been robbed of what was supposed to be the greatest moment of my life. Not just robbed, beaten senseless and left for dead. I literally had the life sucked out of me. I walked outside with the other graduates who were dismayed at the unbearable news. I was emotionless, just stunned and speechless at the words that were just uttered. I saw many sad and crying faces. It was not until I saw my family that I absolutely lost it. All of the emotions came at once. Anger, sadness, misery, distress, anguish! It hit me like a tidal wave! The moment I had been looking for was now gone. And I knew I wouldn’t be able to get it back. Even though there was an announcement stating the graduation would be postponed to a later date, my family and I were leaving for Hawaii the very next day. I felt like my heart was ripped out of my chest. It meant so much to me to walk across the stage. It may have just been a ceremony, but it’s an outward expression, symbolic if you will. Everything I did actually mattered. I finally was able to say, I did it! Yes, I finished college, and I got my degree, but the truth of the matter is, I felt like I didn’t graduate.
One inconsiderable prank turned what was supposed to be a glorious day into a day of doom. If it wasn’t for my support group, who lifted my spirits and did everything they could to make me smile, I honestly don’t know how I would’ve gotten through the rest of the day. They reminded me that the Bible says, “No weapon formed against me shall prosper” and to be positive even in the midst of my distress. My dad told me, “[b]e grateful that it wasn’t an actual bomb.” I may not have been alive to tell this story. I’m blessed to tell this story and I would be extremely grateful for another opportunity to do my graduation ceremony with my family there to support me. I believe given an exception should be made to allow me to walk across the stage. I want to cross the stage. I need to cross that stage. I DESERVE to walk across that stage.
FAU honored and approved my request to participate in the 2023 Spring graduation ceremony.
Please, help me congratulate the 2018 FAU graduate:
MARK D. HODGES II!
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