Graduation season is well underway, and on Wednesday May 28, a special graduate finally got the opportunity to walk across the stage.
Veteran Vicente Ortiz, Sr. completed another milestone. After many years, he finally graduated high school at Por Vida Academy. Ortiz was on track to graduate but was drafted by the Army to fight in Vietnam. After Ortiz returned from Vietnam, he wanted to attend college but found out he was ineligible because he was missing one high school credit.
With the help of his daughter, Pauline, Ortiz was able to cross this item off his bucket list. Pauline is a teacher at Por Vida Academy; she shared her father's story with Principal Sandra Valencia. Soon after, she began looking into how she could get him his high school diploma.
His wife, Joan, said that Ortiz, a Sinton native, is a selfless man, who always puts everyone first, and encourages his family to succeed.
Ortiz is the father of Vicente Ortiz, Jr., the Corpus Christi police officer who was killed after being struck on his motorcycle during a funeral procession last year. Officer Ortiz spent several years providing off-duty security for Por Vida Academy. He was with the school for over 10 years, and staff members said he was a big part of the Por Vida family.
At the graduation ceremony, we were able to catch up with Ortiz and his family. They say today's milestone was also in memory of their son.
"He reached that goal and he's very proud," Ortiz's wife said. "I think our son would be happy, too. So it's also in honor of him that he's doing that."
Joan mentions that during a conversation she had with her husband about this moment, Ortiz Sr. said he hopes his achievements inspire other people his age, that were also not able to graduate, to keep going and to not give up.
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