A mother from Texas has accepted a high school diploma in honor of her late daughter’s unexpected passing.
Roshaunda Carr attended the graduation ceremony at University High School in Washington on May 23. Graduation is always a special occasion, although, for Carr, it was a “bittersweet” celebration. According to a report by Fox 8 News, Carr walked across the stage to accept a reward for her daughter, who recently passed away. Jakayla Gardner Carr unexpectedly died from epilepsy in October last year.
Carr now reportedly plans to set up a nonprofit organization after Jakayla.
She told Fox 8 what happened to her daughter on October 8 last year. Carr texted Jakayla, reminding her to take her medicine. However, alarm bells started ringing when she never received a reply. Carr explained, “I got up. That’s when I checked on her and that’s when I found her. She passed away in her sleep from a seizure.” Jakayla had reportedly suffered from epilepsy since she was eleven years old.
Roshaunda Carr Described The Ceremony As ‘Bittersweet’
Despite struggling with her condition, Jakayla was reportedly an excellent student. This was even despite an “intense seizure” that forced her to relearn everything. “It’s bittersweet. Jakayla is the first out of her siblings to graduate, so today is just a lot of emotions,” Carr told Fox 8.
“She’s very, very proud,” Carr said, speaking of her daughter. “She’s probably behind me doing a silly dance as we do the interview, she’s proud.”
Per a report by People, the nonprofit headed by Carr will be called Kayla’s Place 19. Carr reportedly wants it to be a hub for people suffering from epilepsy. She also wants counseling and medical staff available to those who require them. She told news outlet KWTX, “I want to give other people who did not have an outlet outside of home to go to, to relax, to forget for a moment they’re battling epilepsy. A lot of times they sit and lock into the fact that they have epilepsy and give up.” She also said she knew her daughter would want her to continue.