Florida boy's missed kindergarten graduation celebrated onboard Frontier Airlines flight
ORLANDO, Fla. - A Florida 6-year-old boy missed his kindergarten graduation, but received a special surprise ceremony onboard a Frontier Airlines flight.
Xavier Joel from Orlando had to miss his school's ceremony after his mother inadvertently double-booked and agreed to be the maid-of-honor at her cousin's wedding in Puerto Rico.
His mother, Janeiry Rivas, said she agreed to be part of the wedding first, and then the school announced her son's graduation date.
"When they announced that the graduation was actually going to be the same day of the wedding, my heart broke into a million pieces," she told FOX Television Stations. "I'm a very involved mom. I'm a single mom, and I'm the one that's always there for all his activities."
Rivas said she even called the school to see if they could change the graduation date, but the school didn't.
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To try to make up for missing his graduation, Rivas decided to pack Xavier's cap and gown and take it to Puerto Rico,
While at the airport, Rivas got the idea for her son to take pictures with the pilots of their flight to Puerto Rico. Word started to spread among the flight crew, and a flight attendant, named Pamela, got the idea to hold Xavier's graduation ceremony during the flight.
Thirty minutes before the plane landed, Xavier put on his cap and gown and walked up the aisle to the front of the plane, where passengers applauded and cheered. His name was announced over the intercom while the "Pomp and Circumstance" song played in the background.
The flight attendants even turned over Xavier's tassel and presented him with gifts.
"I got really emotional. I wanted to cry because as a single mom and as a mom in general, you face so many guilt trips that you put on yourself," Rivas continued.
"I was feeling horrible he missed his graduation, but it ended up being a blessing in disguise for him," she added. "This act of kindness is something that was so unexpected."
Rivas said despite the fact her son missed his graduation, Frontier Airlines certainly made up for it. She hopes the story encourages other mothers to keep doing their best.
"As a single mom who pours her heart into ensuring her son has a joyous and unforgettable childhood, I know how stressful it can be when things don’t go as planned—like a graduation ceremony, for example.," she said. "But as a mom, I didn’t let this hold me back or show him I was discouraged. That is parenting. We put on a brave smile, adapt, and come up with new plans. And you know what? Things usually turn out just as they should."
"The graduation on the flight was a prime example of that. As a believer, it showed me that God is always watching over my son and me."
This story was reported from Los Angeles.