Fairmont senior battling leukemia celebrates graduation from hospital room

ajc.com

Fairmont High School senior James Miller didn’t let leukemia stop him from graduating high school and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center made sure he didn’t miss the ceremony.

“I was sad that I was going to miss graduation,” Miller told News Center 7’s Monica Castro on Wednesday night. “Cincinnati Children’s talked to us and tried to make it our own little graduation.”

Miller’s graduation took place in a hospital room Tuesday. Fairmont Principal Tyler Alexander drove to Cincinnati to hand-deliver the diploma.

“It was a big deal for him to take time out of his week and his day, especially with almost 600 kids graduating,” Shannon Miller, James’ mother, said.

James Miller also was able to participate in Wednesday night’s graduation at the Nutter Center in Fairborn. A video of him receiving his diploma and tossing his mortarboard was played for the crowd.

The Nutter Center also live-streamed the ceremony so James could watch from the hospital.

“He was determined to graduate, determined to do it with his class,” his mother said. “He didn't want to graduate with another class. He wanted to do it with his friends.”

James Miller underwent his last treatment a few days ago and will be released from the hospital in a couple of weeks, according to officials at Cincinnati Children’s.

He’ll be attending Wittenberg University this fall.

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