ABILENE, TX -- Seventy years after having to drop out of high school, an 88-year-old Clyde man received a special surprise from Clyde ISD.
Tommy Tucker, 88, was born in the middle of the Great Depression. As the oldest child of seven, Tucker was forced to drop out when his father got sick.
“My dad had a heart attack got sick," said Tucker. "I was the oldest so I had to quit and go to work."
Tucker eventually earned his GED, but never got the chance to walk the stage.
Tucker married the love of his life at age 22 and raised five kids by her side.
During a hunting trip, Tucker's family surprised him with an honorary high school diploma from Clyde CISD 70 years after he was supposed to graduate.
“I never thought I'd ever get one like that," said Tucker. "Brought tears to my eyes."
“We hated that he didn't get to graduate," said Tucker's son, Toby. "So that's why we wanted to do this for him."
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