I can finally say the words we have prayed for, cried for, and fought for:

Theo will graduate.

This morning, we received written confirmation from Valdosta City Schools that the district will offer our family an opportunity to celebrate our son,  “Theo” , during the district’s Graduation this year. The date and time are still being finalized, and we were told we will receive an invitation in advance so we can invite guests. I cannot even explain what this means to our family.

For years, Theo’s graduation was the painful “missing moment” we could never get back. In 2020, when Valdosta High held a COVID drive-through graduation, Theo could not participate because of lockdown. And for a long time after that, the answer was simply “no.” But we never stopped advocating because we knew in our hearts that exclusion is not acceptable, and that disability and medical restriction should never erase a child from a once-in-a-lifetime milestone.

And today, we are overwhelmed with gratitude.

First and above all, we thank God. I truly believe God opened doors that no human being could shut. When it felt like nothing was moving, when it felt like we were exhausted and alone, God kept pushing us forward giving us strength, giving us clarity, and surrounding us with people who helped carry this with us. This victory didn’t come from giving up; it came from faith, persistence, and refusing to accept “that’s just how it is.”

We also want to thank our friends and family the people who checked on us, prayed for us, shared our petition, encouraged us when we were drained, and reminded us why this matters. Thank you to everyone who spoke Theo’s name with love and dignity. Thank you to the people who didn’t look away or tell us we were “doing too much,” but instead said, “Keep going.” You have no idea how much that meant in the hardest moments.

To everyone who signed, shared, commented, messaged, donated time, amplified our story, and supported us publicly and privately thank you. This is proof that community matters. Your support helped keep this alive when it would have been so easy to disappear.

Now here is the part I need everyone to hear clearly:

This is not the end. This is the beginning.

We are grateful truly grateful that Theo will finally have his moment. But this outcome should not require years of fighting, relentless emailing, and families reaching the edge of exhaustion just to get basic dignity and access. It should not depend on discretion. It should not be “only if someone feels like it.” It should not be harder for disabled and medically restricted students to be included in graduation than it is for everyone else.

That is why we are still fighting for Theo’s Law.

This win proves something important: accommodation is possible. Inclusion is possible. This is not too hard, too expensive, or too complicated. It can be done and it should be done statewide so the next family doesn’t have to beg, plead, educate, and fight for years just to receive what should have been guaranteed from the start.

So today, we celebrate. We cry happy tears. We breathe for a second.

And then we keep going because Theo’s Law is about making sure every family gets dignity, access, and an equal chance at this moment without years of pain.

From the bottom of our hearts: thank you for standing with us.

God is good. Theo will graduate. And we are just getting started. 🙌🎓