CORNWALL, Ontario – The COVID-19 pandemic has seen many events cancelled that many have been looking forward to. Some of the most effected have been high school grads, who have had to miss out this year on milestone events like prom and graduation.
On Thursday, May 21 members of the Cornwall community came together to make one young man’s graduation still feel special.
Aaron Stephenson is a 21-year-old Holy Trinity student with special needs enrolled in the school’s Living and Learning program.
Aaron had been looking forward to his special day and going through the tradition of prom, and was saddened that it was cancelled.
On Thursday, around 20 cars drove by Aaron’s home in Cornwall and dropped of graduation presents and congratulations.
“He was really looking forward to it,” said Dick D’Alessio, who helped organize the drive-by celebration. “He was disappointed they were cancelled, so we wanted to do something special for him.”
Aaron’s father Roy was thrilled with the support and love shown from their friends and the community.
“Dick has always been kind of an adoptive grandfather to Aaron,” he said. “It is an exciting time in the life of all grads, and Aaron was really disappointed. This helps so much.”
