BELTON, TX — Graduation marks a new start for students across the nation.
For one Belton New Tech High School @ Waskow senior, who lost her mother to cancer, earning her degree was quite the journey.
When Beyoncé Sullivan walked across the stage on Thursday to get her diploma, a big part of her family was missing.
"These past couple years of high school have been a complete roller coaster. My freshman year my mother passed away with stage 4 stomach, lung and bone cancer," said Sullivan.
She explained the loss took a toll on her mental health.
"And my junior year I actually kind of dropped out and I tried doing an alternative school through online and that didn't work for me," said Sullivan.
When her father accepted a job offer in Temple, the move from Dallas to Bell County provided her family a new start.
"So I kind of had to play a little bit of catch up but luckily the school was able to help me get my credits to finish my junior year, complete my senior year and also had to fill in the shoes of playing the mom and helping trying to balance my school life and my personal life," said Sullivan.
"She's been doing really well. We're just really lucky to be in this community at Belton New Tech," said Cesar Laso, her father.
She shared a message for those going through hard times: Keep moving forward.
"Anyone who is struggling with mental health, that it is important to remember that this is only a small part of your life and that things will get better," said Sullivan.
