The Class of 2022 was in for a surprise when they celebrated their graduation at the Springdale School District. In addition to honoring the recent graduates, the event paid respect to four exceptional veterans who, had they not decided to serve in the military, would have graduated in 1956. Known by their endearing nickname, “super seniors,” Carl Stults, Bobby Burke, Charles Leroy Moon, and Bob Self were among the veterans who received honorary diplomas with the graduating seniors.
These four young guys were all seniors in high school in 1956, yet none of them graduated from Springdale High School. Carl Self revealed, “Springdale didn’t recognize the GED at the time, but I took a test when I joined the Air Force. I eventually graduated from Little Rock Central with a diploma. It wasn’t until they got together for lunch one day that the school district learned about their missing diplomas.
The Class of 2022 was delighted to learn that these “super seniors” will be participating in the graduation ceremony. It was a lesson in sacrifice and honor as much as a celebration of their accomplishment. Jared Cleveland, the superintendent of Springdale, delivered sentimental letters honoring the heroes’ bravery and devotion from U.S. Representative Steve Womack and Governor Asa Hutchinson during the ceremony.
They served both during and after the Korean War, according to Womack. They weren’t thinking about themselves or asking themselves, “What about me?” at the time. They performed their duty. Isn’t that the authentic essence of America? The instructors paused to recognize the outstanding accomplishments that each veteran has made since enlisting in the Air Force in 1956.
These four extraordinary guys finally earned their long-awaited diplomas from their alma mater, after 66 years. It was a just reward for all of their hard work. “Once a Bulldog, Always a Bulldog,” as the saying goes.
Greetings on your honorary diplomas, Bob Self, Charles Leroy Moon, Bobby Burke, and Carl Stults! Their devoted dedication to our nation is incredibly admirable. We are fortunate to live in the wonderful country we do today because of courageous people like them. By sharing this story and expressing our gratitude, let’s honor these men for their incredible achievements and selflessness.
I pushed my husband out of bed to stop what I believed was snoring.
Lisa Lee, 25, was sleeping next to her husband Lewis Little when she thought she heard him snoring. “I shoved him out of bed to stop what I believed was snoring,” Lisa explained. But as she touched the moist sheet, she knew something wasn’t right. Lewis wasn’t breathing. “I turned on the light and stared at his battered face,” she added.
Panicked, Lisa called for an ambulance, but the wait felt endless. When medics arrived, they broke the heartbreaking news: Lewis had passed away hours earlier. The sound Lisa had mistaken for snoring was, in fact, air escaping his body and passing through his vocal cords.
Lewis had been diagnosed with Brugada syndrome, a rare heart condition, just a year earlier. Doctors had assured him that his life wasn’t in danger and that he could live a long life despite the condition. Tragically, just a year later, Lewis died unexpectedly in his sleep.
Lisa was left in shock. “I couldn’t believe it. The doctors told us he was going to be fine,” she said, still processing the sudden loss of her husband.
Brugada syndrome is a genetic condition that affects the heart’s rhythm and can lead to sudden death. In Lewis’s case, it proved fatal despite earlier reassurances.
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