{"id":2249788,"date":"2024-05-21T18:30:05","date_gmt":"2024-05-21T22:30:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/high-school-valedictorian-moves-graduation-crowd-to-tears-45-minutes-after-burying-his-father-2\/"},"modified":"2024-05-21T18:31:39","modified_gmt":"2024-05-21T22:31:39","slug":"high-school-valedictorian-moves-graduation-crowd-to-tears-45-minutes-after-burying-his-father-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/high-school-valedictorian-moves-graduation-crowd-to-tears-45-minutes-after-burying-his-father-2\/","title":{"rendered":"High school valedictorian, moved audience to tears post father&#8217;s burial"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fhigh-school-valedictorian-moves-graduation-crowd-to-tears-45-minutes-after-burying-his-father-2%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2249788&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The poignant story of Alem Hadzic, \u2063a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/celebrities-applaud-texas-valedictorian-for-using-speech-to-promote-abortion\/\" title=\"Celebrities Applaud Texas Valedictorian For Using Speech To Promote Abortion\">high school valedictorian<\/a> \u200cwho delivered a heartfelt \u200dspeech\u200d immediately after burying his \u2063father, resonated\u2064 deeply with the\u2062 audience. Despite his grief, Alem displayed remarkable courage and dedication, embodying the\u200c resilience and strength instilled in him by his late father. The emotional journey he shared touched \u2062the hearts of many, leaving a lasting \u200bimpact on all who witnessed\u2062 his unforgettable moment.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<header> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/commentary\/\">  Commentary <\/a>    <span> <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/author\/mlandry\/\">  <\/a> <\/p>\n<p> <span>   By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/author\/mlandry\/%20\"><span>Mike Landry<\/span><\/a> <\/span> <span>   May 21, 2024 at 1:28pm <\/span> <\/span>  <\/header>\n<section>\n<p>You\u2019re scheduled to give your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/high-school-football-coach-fired-for-privately-questioning-black-lives-matter-curricula\/\" title=\"High School Football Coach Fired For Privately Questioning Black Lives Matter Curricula\">high school\u2019<\/a>s valedictorian speech.<\/p>\n<p>But your dad dies the day before.<\/p>\n<p>What do you do? Ask to be excused?<\/p>\n<p>Everyone would understand if you didn\u2019t give the address.<\/p>\n<p>But Alem Hadzic bravely got up before the students, faculty and families of Early College High School in the Dallas suburb of Farmers Branch, Texas, and gave the speech on Thursday.<\/p>\n<p>And there was more.<\/p>\n<p>For the first time, except for a few close friends, people who knew Hadzic learned of the burden he had carried since January after his father\u2019s diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy father died yesterday,\u201d the 18-year-old graduate told the crowd, which audibly responded in shock. \u201cAnd I attended his funeral today, right before graduation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Indeed, his dad\u2019s funeral ended just 45 minutes earlier, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wfaa.com\/article\/news\/education\/my-father-died-yesterday-north-texas-high-school-valedictorian-delivers-moving-speech-hours-after-funeral\/287-64ca6014-fab2-4ad3-b36c-1efb429bc3c1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">WFAA-TV<\/a> in Dallas reported.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s why my shoes are muddy,\u201d he told the crowd. \u201cThat\u2019s why my arms are shaking \u2014 because I had to carry him to his grave and bury him.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Alem credited his father, Miralem, an immigrant from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/ap-bosnian-war-crimes-suspect-detained-in-romania\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bosnia<\/a>, for making him who he was. The elder Hadzic had delivered pizzas to help his family get ahead.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI can\u2019t stand up here and pretend I want to be doing this speech right now,\u201d he told the audience.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut I can\u2019t throw something away he worked so hard for me to achieve. That\u2019s why I am going to go to college and I am going to spend every hour of every day working as hard as I can to achieve all my goals.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBecause that\u2019s what he wanted, and I\u2019m going to do it for him.\u201d<\/p>\n<p> <iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Texas valedictorian delivers speech right after dad's funeral\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/q_uXK18DeL8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>In an interview with WFAA, Alem said, \u201cI had to go to my dad\u2019s funeral. I had to do it for him. But I also had to go to my graduation, and I also had to do that for him.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>His father\u2019s death and the opportunity to speak publicly about it had a profound effect on Alem.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI never felt more alone that day,\u201d he said. \u201cI never felt more alone than right before I had to give that speech.<\/p>\n<div id=\"firefly-poll-container\">\n<p>Could you have given a speech like this?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u201cAnd that all changed when I looked in the audience. I saw a room full of people people crying. I saw people being moved by what I was saying.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The reaction to Alem\u2019s speech continued after the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/entire-oklahoma-team-glorifies-god-live-espn-historic-national-championship-win\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">commencement<\/a> ceremony, he told <a href=\"https:\/\/www.msn.com\/en-us\/news\/other\/valedictorian-gives-powerful-speech-hours-after-dad-s-funeral\/ar-BB1mJjh0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">KDFW-TV\u2019s<\/a> \u201cGood Day\u201d program.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI didn\u2019t know any of them, but they came up to me,\u201d he said. \u201cThey made me feel better. They wanted to take pictures with me.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey told me how strong I was, and it made me feel so much better. It made me feel so good on such a dark day. It was really what I needed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Alem, who plans to study chemical engineering at the University of Texas, Austin, demonstrated poise, bravery and dedication, which made him much the center of attention that day.<\/p>\n<p>But there was an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/ap-proud-pop-dick-bennett-beams-as-son-leads-virginia-to-title\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">unseen individua<\/a>l who also demonstrated <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/ad-celebrating-stepfathers-proves-real-dad-just-blood\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">great accomplishment<\/a> at the Early College High School commencement.<\/p>\n<p>Alem praised him with words that day.<\/p>\n<p>And all could see how the character, gratitude and bearing of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/high-school-valedictorian-moves-graduation-crowd-to-tears-45-minutes-after-burying-his-father\/\" title=\"Valedictorian's Emotional Graduation Speech After Father's Funeral\">young man directed honor<\/a> toward the name and memory of his late father, Miralem Hadzic.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<div>\n<p><b><i>A Note from Our Deputy Managing Editor:<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<p><i><span>I heard a chilling comment the other day: \u201cWe don\u2019t even know if an election will be held in 2024.\u201d <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>That wasn\u2019t said by a conspiracy theorist or a doomsday prophet. No, former U.S. national security advisor Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn said that to the founder of The Western Journal, Floyd Brown.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>Gen. Flynn\u2019s warning means that the 2024 election is the most important election for every single living American. If we lose this one to the wealthy elites who hate us, hate God, and hate what America stands for, we can only assume that 248 years of American history and the values we hold dear to our hearts may soon vanish.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>The end game is here, and as Benjamin Franklin said, \u201cWe must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>All of this means that <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/subscribe\/?utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\"><i><span>without you<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span>, it\u2019s over. We have the platform, the journalists, and the experience to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/desantis-rises-as-he-promises-hes-only-begun-to-fight-put-on-full-armor-of-god-to-fight-the-left\/\" title=\"DeSantis Rises As He Promises He\u2019s \u2018Only Begun To Fight\u2019: \u2018Put On Full Armor Of God\u2019 To Fight The Left\">fight back hard<\/a>, but Big Tech is strangling us through advertising blacklists, shadow bans, and algorithms. Did you know that we\u2019ve been blacklisted by 90% of advertisers? Without direct support from you, our readers, we can\u2019t continue the fight.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>Can we count on <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/subscribe\/?utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\"><i><span>your support<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span>? It may not seem like much, but a <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/subscribe\/?utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\"><i><span>Western Journal Membership<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span>  can make all the difference in the world because when you support us directly, you cut Big Tech out of the picture. They lose control. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>A monthly Western Journal Membership costs less than one coffee and breakfast sandwich each month, and it gets you access to ALL of our content \u2014 news, commentary, and premium articles. You\u2019ll experience a radically reduced number of ads, and most importantly you will be vitally supporting the fight for America\u2019s soul in 2024.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>We are literally counting on you because without our members, The Western Journal would cease to exist. Will you <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/subscribe\/?utm_source=site&#038;utm_medium=westernjournalism&#038;utm_campaign=authorpitch\"><i><span>join us<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span>  in the fight? <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>Sincerely,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>Josh Manning<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>Deputy Managing Editor<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><i><span>The Western Journal<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"author-info-45512\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/author\/mlandry\/\">  <\/a> <\/p>\n<div>\n<p><label for=\"summary-tab-radio-45512\">Summary<\/label><label for=\"more-info-tab-radio-45512\">More<span> Biographical Information<\/span><\/label><label for=\"posts-tab-radio-45512\">Recent<span> Posts<\/span><\/label><label for=\"contact-tab-radio-45512\" onclick=\"if( typeof grecaptcha=='undefined' ) { let cap_s=document.createElement( 'script' ); cap_s.src='https:\/\/www.google.com\/recaptcha\/api.js?render=6LeJFcsUAAAAAPsIEqvB1EebWbZfqRUe6ebMpGy7'; document.body.appendChild( cap_s ); }\">Contact<\/label><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Mike Landry, PhD, is a retired business professor. He has been a journalist, broadcaster and church pastor. He writes from Northwest Arkansas on current events and business history.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<p>  Mike Landry, PhD, is a retired business professor. He has been a journalist, broadcaster and church pastor. He writes from Northwest Arkansas on current events and business history. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Mike Landry\u2019s commentary on May 21, 2024, at 1:28 pm reflects on a poignant moment. Despite the recent loss of his father, high school valedictorian Alem Hadzic chose to deliver his speech with courage and grace. In a touching display of resilience, he stood before the gathered audience, honoring his commitment in the face of adversity<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2018,"featured_media":2249789,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Alem.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[548],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2249788","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-conservative-news-daily"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Alem.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2249788","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2018"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2249788"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2249788\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2249789"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2249788"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2249788"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2249788"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}