The class of 2020, whether they be high school or college graduates, missed out on their chance for the standard graduation ceremony this year because of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

While many of us who have had to sit through graduations would tell them they’re lucky to avoid the mind-numbing boredom of hearing what is normally the equivalent of the recitation of a phone book, there are plenty of upset parents and students out there.

Graduation isn’t just an hours-long ceremony, it’s a day when accomplishments are recognized and it marks the end of a long journey and much hard work.

But this year, graduation was downright anti-climactic and the lack of pomp and circumstance was devastating to some students who had been looking forward to their moment.

Gabrielle Piece, a graduate from Xavier University in Louisiana, had actually graduated early, in December of 2019, but her school only held one graduation each year, in May. When she found out in mid-March that it would be canceled altogether she was devastated.

“Initially I was upset. I was crying. It took me like a week to stop crying,” said “I really wanted to walk, I felt like I needed to walk, she told Fox 13 Memphis.

Her years of hard work studying for her Bachelor of Public Health Science with a minor in Biology – a rigorous pre-med workload – wouldn’t get the celebration from her mentors and peers that she had earned along with her degree.

It was a cruel twist that a global pandemic would keep her from a ceremony marking the end of her college degree and her decision to go on to study epidemiology at the graduate level.

Gabrielle’s father, Torrence Burson, decided he was not going to let his daughter be let down at a time when she should be so proud of herself. So her concocted an elaborate plan.

“I went to bed and woke up in the middle of the night and said, ‘That’s it. I’m just going to be the graduation here,'” Torrence said.

CNN reports that while he said his wife initially thought it was “crazy,” she liked the idea.

Burston’s daughter WOULD be walking across the stage – and it would be built with his own two hands.

“After all those years, you’re going to walk across somebody’s stage if I have to build you one myself,” he told his daughter.

His setup had everything – the stage, the loudspeakers, and even a printed program that announced the order of the ceremony, including an invocation, graduation march, welcome speech, and national anthem (Whitney Houston’s classic version).

It took six weeks to plan and Pierce didn’t know just how elaborate it would be until she walked out of her house and down the path to the driveway with “Pomp and Circumstance” blaring from the loudspeakers.

Burson is known for his big gestures, but this one takes the cake!

Around 40 people showed up in masks – and those who drove by and saw the display honked their horns in congratulations on the beautiful, sunny day that saw her don her cap and gown.

The family’s pastor attended and gave the invocation and Pierce’s aunt, Dr. Deborah Smith, gave the commencement address in her own regalia.

“If I had to do it over again, I’d probably do it even bigger,” Burston told his local news station, his daughter beaming by his side.

And was the newly-minted grad satisfied?

“It was just amazing,” Pierce said. “Better than…the actual graduation, because I felt like it was more personal.”

We’re sure it was a heck of a lot less boring too!

Be sure to scroll down below to see the sweet news story on this very special gesture.

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Source: Fox 13 Memphis via YouTube, CNN

H/t Upworthy