Richard Remp, a 98-year-old Marine veteran from Poolesville, Maryland, recently fulfilled a lifelong dream when he received his high school diploma. He had dropped out of high school in Sharon, Pennsylvania, at the age of 17 to enlist in the Marines during World War II. He served in World War II and in the Korean War, and earned the nickname “Gunny” serving as a gunnery sergeant during the Vietnam War.
When doctors discovered that Remp had stage 4 cancer after a recent fall, his friends at American Legion Post 247 reached out to Sharon High School to try and get him the diploma he would have received had he not left to defend his country. At first they were told it would take some time to produce the diploma, but when the district superintendent for Sharon High School, Justi Glaros, learned about the situation, she was able to expedite the process. Glaros then drove more than four hours to hand-deliver the diploma to Remp.
Upon receiving his diploma, Remp expressed deep gratitude, saying, "Thank you very much. You people just don’t know what it means to me. I’ll cherish this for the rest of my life." He also extended his thanks on behalf of the Marine Corps, saying the gesture was even more special because of the support he’s received from those around him.
Source: WSB TV