Most graduation commencement speeches and speakers are forgotten. But students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida will never forget this school year or their graduation speaker.

 

In a surprise appearance, late night host Jimmy Fallon gave the graduating class some welcomed comic relief and praise for their activism and efforts to bring about gun control.

 

https://youtu.be/URAA8JDWLps

 

Telling the class not to “rest on your laurels — or your yannys,” Fallon said the students should feel “incredibly proud” for their “courage and your bravery” and for “giving amazing speeches I could never possibly live up to.”

 

Fallon finished by praising the students for not giving into fear and for starting a “movement” in the face of something “horrific”.

 

Four seniors were missing: Nicholas Dworet, Joaquin Oliver, Carmen Schentrup, and Meadow Pollack. They were among 14 others who died in the massacre at the high school. They were taken from the world way to early. RIP.

 

Their family members were in attendance to receive their diplomas.

 

 

Jimmy was able to shine some light and laughter at the graduation, leaving the grads with this advice… “Don’t ever get off your parents’ wireless plan. Ride that train as long as possible…”

 

 

 

Filed under: commencement-florida, graduation, heartwarming, jimmy-fallon, kevin-and-sonia, parkland, producer-jordan, Senior, speech