There's nothing more rewarding for a parent than seeing their child doing great things in life, such as achieving their academic goals. Even though many official graduation ceremonies this year have been canceled due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis, it could not prevent parents from celebrating their kids' success. Some congratulate the graduates via Zoom chat, others replicate graduation ceremonies at home. And let's not forget those who take to social media to acknowledge their kids' achievements—some even go viral for it.
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Jay Handlin recently became one such proud parent. His daughter Rachel has just earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Photography & Media from California Institute of the Arts.
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To commemorate the moment, he announced the news on his Twitter account. "I am officially the proudest father on the planet," he said. The tweet has since gained over 220k likes and 19k retweets.
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Jay has a lot to be proud of, as Rachel's achievement is not an ordinary one. The young woman has Down syndrome and in spite of it, she has achieved her goals.
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According to the Pediatric Therapy Network, out of the Down syndrome population, only one person in a million successfully completes a higher degree program.
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Her father, who calls himself a fierce father and a disability/inclusion zealot, has been sharing her uni progress with snippets of Rachel's photography to showcase her talent.
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Here's how people reacted
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