From Campus to Classroom: Stories That Shape Education
- Northwest Area High School organized a special early ceremony to honor and include Michael Crawford and his family.
- Cooper Crawford was celebrated as a graduate; sister Cassidy Crawford delivered an alumni speech praising his resilience.
- Michael Crawford stopped treatment for terminal esophageal cancer, deepening the community's support and urgency around the family's moment.
One of Michael Crawford’s last wishes is to see his son Cooper graduate from high school. On Wednesday, that wish came true in Pennsylvania.
SHICKSHINNY, Pa. — One of Michael Crawford’s last wishes is to see his son, Cooper Crawford, graduate from Northwest Area High School in Shickshinny, Pennsylvania. A wish that came true Wednesday night.
I think it was really cool that we have a community of that size, that can come together to support, not only my family, but my father, my father and I,” said Cooper Crawford, the newest graduate of Northwest Area High School. It’s really cool to see the impact he’s had on so many people. I wish that I could be half the man my dad is.”
Cooper’s father recently decided to stop treatment for his terminal diagnosis of esophageal cancer, which he received last July.
To make Michael’s wish of seeing his son graduate come true, the school district put together a special ceremony for Cooper, a little over a month before his graduation date.
“It’s not about anybody but them tonight. We wanted to be there for them to help Mike get one of his wishes, which was to see Cooper graduate,” said Ryan Miner, the principal of Northwest Area High School.
The school also invited an alumni speaker to give a speech, Cooper’s older sister, Cassidy Crawford.
He’s such a great brother, we’ve always gotten along really well, and I’m just so proud of him and how he’s handled being in school and having a business and everything with our dad. And he’s just a fantastic person, and I was just so lucky to talk about him,” said Cassidy Crawford.
Cooper’s younger siblings were given honorary diplomas, so they could say their father was there when they graduated in front of hundreds of people.
You kind of realize the finality of what’s happening, making this happen for both of them was important,” said Jess Crawford, Cooper’s mother. “Mr. Miner had actually surprised us. I didn’t know he was going to have the rest of the kids and announced their graduation years and give them honorary diplomas, and that was really special too.
A special wish, fulfilled by Michael’s community, his family, and his son.
“It’s definitely not something that you could imagine, it’s just such a good feeling knowing he was able to see it and was able to be a part of it, and I was able to give him that opportunity,” said Cooper Crawford.
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