The graduating seniors at Hermann High School in Gasconade County, Missouri might be going their separate ways, but they will always have a special bond.
As PIX11 reports, the class of 2014 decided to give an incredible gift to one of their own, senior Zack Ruediger, whose father had passed away from a blood clot just days before graduation.
During the commencement ceremony, it’s tradition for the graduates to hand the principal money, which is donated to charity. This time, however, the whole class of 68 seniors decided to help out Zack and his family. In total, the students donated $800, plus Zack’s employer chipped in another $500.
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Zack, who also lost his mother two years ago, didn’t realize the money was meant for him. In fact, when it was his turn to cross the stage, he followed what his classmates did and gave all the money he had to his principal.
“That’s just like Zack,” classmate Jamie Gleeson told FOX2 about Zack’s blind donation. “He’s really sweet and nice.”
After graduation, Zack was humbled to learn that his classmates were actually coming together for him.
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“I kind of felt gratitude towards everybody but embarrassed about what I did,” he told the local TV station.
According to PIX11, Zack plans to use the money to help pay for his father’s funeral. Now that he has graduated from high school, he’s planning to leave Missouri to study diesel mechanics in Indianapolis.
While he may be leaving his hometown, something tells us he’ll never be alone. As Zack said, “I have a lot of friends that care about me and they are willing to go the extra mile to help me out.”
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