HENRICO COUNTY, Va. – High school graduations across the commonwealth have certainly looked different for the class of 2020.
Some were online while others didn't happen at all.
For one Virginia senior, walking across the stage meant more than just meeting all her academic requirements.
Last June, Maggie Rocke was practicing walking in her driveway. At the time, the rising senior, already had one specific moment on her mind: walking across the stage at graduation.
“I basically made walking an everyday, or almost everyday, part of my life, because I knew if I wanted to make this happen, it couldn’t be something where I just did it on a whim,” Rocke said.
Diagnosed with cerebral palsy after birth, Rocke put in hours practicing in the driveway.
When the pandemic looked like it might halt her dream, her mother got worried.
“For the first time I actually cried a little bit, because I knew that this was so huge to her,” said Ginny, Maggie’s mom.
This week, that dream came true.
Maggie made her way across the stage one step at a time.
“I think I’m still kind of in shock and surprised that I did it. I think it will definitely be a mile marker in my life journey that I will never forget,” Maggie said. “Yes, there were a lot of stumbling blocks and road blocks to get here, but with the support of everyone I did it.”