Teen delivers valedictorian speech hours after father's funeral – InspireMore

Miralem Hadzic was an immigrant from Bosnia, determined to build a better life for his family. Looking at everything his son, Alem, has already accomplished at 18, it's clear he's succeeded. Alem recently graduated from Early College High School with a 4.0 GPA. Not only did he become valedictorian, but he also earned an Associate of Science degree. This will make his path to earning a degree in chemical engineering much easier.

But in the midst of so many exciting moments, Alem suffered a heavy loss. Miralem, who suffered from pancreatic cancer, died the day before her graduation. Then his funeral took place just hours before the graduation ceremony. As valedictorian, Alem was scheduled to give a speech. Needless to say, he had a hard time imagining how he could still do it.

“People would come and wish me good luck and I would blow them up a bit,” Alem remembers. “In my head I was thinking, 'Can I do this?' »

Even though Alem had planned a whole speech, he gave it up to talk about his father. Not only did it help the grieving teen, but it also touched every single person in the audience. In fact, many can be heard gasping when Alem reveals that he just happened to be at his father's funeral that day.

“My father passed away yesterday, May 15, 2024, and I attended his funeral today, right before my graduation,” Alem shares in his speech, as seen above. “That’s why my shoes are muddy and my arms are shaking. I had to carry him to his grave and bury him. I can't sit here and pretend I want to give this speech now. But I can't throw away something he worked so hard for me to create.

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He concluded his speech by insisting that any of his beloved classmates would do the same for someone close to him in a heartbeat. Alem's words are quickly met with loud applause, helping this heartbroken teen feel seen. It's something he continues to feel as his speech goes viral: many are sending condolences and sharing stories of their own losses.

“It’s so comforting. Strangers share their experiences with me so I don’t feel so alone,” says Alem. “I respond to every person.”

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