HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — At Hillsborough High School’s graduation Saturday, one graduate stood out. At 95, he's older than even the faculty at his ceremony.
“Joe Perricone is a member of the Hillsborough High School class of 1943,” Principal Gary Brady explained at the ceremony.
Perricone got his diploma in 1943, but he missed his graduation. Before the school year ended, he'd already enlisted in the Army. He deployed to Europe to fight in World War II.
“Sometimes it was fun,” Perricone said of his time in the military. “Sometimes it wasn't any fun.”
His family passed on the story of his sacrifice and missed graduation through the years until Perricone's grandson decided to do something about.
Perricone got to walk across the stage at Hillsborough High School's graduation 76 years later.
“It was special. I never thought I'd be wearing one of these things,” he joked, grabbing his graduation gown.
The moment was just as moving for his grandson, Tom Palermo, who contacted the school board and helped make it happen.
“He's not someone who seeks the spotlight, so for us, it was really special for us to remind him how special he really is,” Tom Palermo said.
This war hero, member of the class of 1943, and now the class of 2019, taught us all an important lesson: It's never too late to finish what you started.
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