Seniors from Oxford High School will attend their graduation ceremony on Thursday at Pine Knob. This group is the final class of students to leave school after surviving the deadly mass shooting in November 2021 that claimed the lives of four classmates – Tate Myre, Madisyn Baldwin, Justin Shilling and Hana St. Juliana.
Watch Simon Shaykhet's full story in the video below
For those seniors, the shooting forever changed their four years at high school. I sat down with three families I've kept in touch with to discuss the complex range of emotions they've faced as they close one chapter and start another.
They tell me they've drawn strength from one another.
How Aiden Watson is finding joy
"When it comes to crossing that stage, what are your thoughts?" I asked Aiden Watson.
"Crossing that stage is going to be a big moment in my life," Aiden said.
For Aiden, healing is a word that carries a deep meaning on many levels. He and his mother, Linda, talked about the struggles he's had to overcome as a result of the shooting when he was a freshman.
Aiden was among the seven others who were wounded in the shooting.
"I missed, if not all of my 9th grade. Barely went in for 10th grade. Half a day for 11th. Senior year, didn’t go in at all," Aiden said.
Watch more of our interview with Aiden in the video below
For Linda, raw emotions included anger and outrage, along with disbelief that four other students had been killed.
"I remember when he got shot, when we brought him home from the hospital, putting my head on his chest, to hear his heartbeat. Over time, the mix of hurt, sadness and anger but gratefulness," Linda said.
Aiden and his mother are among families who were involved in criminal cases that followed, which led to the shooter being sentenced to life in prison without parole, and his parents being convicted of involuntary manslaughter and also sent to prison.
"She would always be there to prepare me for court hearings, job interviews, school, etc. All the stuff," Aiden said.
Through it all, he credits his teachers for encouraging him as he chose to take classes off campus, a step that's been highly successful.
"I take OCC, Oakland Community College. I’m very impressed to have made it through as many classes as I have with really good grades," he said.
“Are there people that come to mind when you think about who supported you during the difficult times?" I asked.
"Definitely my mom. A couple friends," he said. "Couple teachers that support me. My band teacher was a huge support. Known him for years. My radio, TV and film teacher Chaz Millard."
Along the way, he's found joy again in riding dirt bikes, seeing friends, and he plans to tutor and volunteer in his spare time. His faith and family are an ever-present source of inspiration.
"I feel like I had to mature more. You can’t be a child and go to court," he said.
"I’m about to graduate OCC with an associate's, next year. Hopefully, hop straight into an internship. Electrical or engineering," Aiden added.
"We are extremely proud of him. On so many levels," Linda said. "There’s been so many points along the way, that we didn’t know if we were going to get here OK. Graduation is going to be extremely emotional for me and our whole family."
From Oxford High School to Wayne State University
Emotions are also powerful for another graduating senior, Luke Johnson, who lost a dear friend and role model in Tate Myre.
"I decided I’m going to take some time, and realize what I’ve been through and how I can move forward. Then, I started to reach out to other people," Luke said.
“What are you most proud of overcoming as you prepare for graduation?" I asked.
"Just adversity, whether personal in my family or what the community has been through. The things that happened Nov. 30, and how I represent myself," he said.
Watch our full interview with Luke in the video below
Luke is now a champion wrestler and is also committed to playing football at Wayne State University this fall.
"Me and Tate were pretty close. I always looked up to him, during wrestling season especially," he said. "He always took me under his wing during football season. He was always there for me when I needed him.
"I was asked to wear Tate’s number earlier in the summer. I was chosen by the family and coaches to represent," he added.
Luke told me his own journey after the shooting came with a realization about empathy for fellow freshman classmates that year and the others who saw terror that day.
“All of a sudden we heard the shots, and kind of froze for a second," he said. "We all were there. Experienced the same thing but in different ways, though.
“Immediately after. Feeling confused. Distraught. Unsure of what to do. Sat and cried for a while. Why it happened," Luke said.
"Have you taken on that mentorship role for someone else? As Tate did for you?" I asked.
"I’m always there for someone if they need me. I want to represent the way Tate would want me to represent. To represent myself the way I want to represent, and my family," Luke said.
"I honestly don’t know how they did it. I’m in awe of them," Luke's mother, Kristina, said.
Kristina expressed her own feelings about younger siblings of victims still walking the same halls, even after this final class who were freshmen in 2021.
"Even though this is the last class that actually went through the tragedy in the high school, there are many who will never forget. We wake up every day and think about it," Kristina said.
Hoping for happiness and 'A very good life.'
More hugs were shared during our interviews between the families of Aiden Watson and senior Phoebe Arthur. Both Aiden and Phoebe overcame serious physical wounds, but emotional scars exist to this day.
"It’s not what we thought it would be. When she started freshman year, what she thought graduation would look like. Nothing like what we thought before and it’s sad," Sandra Cunningham, Phoebe's mother, said.
See our full interview with Sandra Cunningham in the video below
What do you hope is in Phoebe’s next chapter?" I asked.
"Happiness. A very good life. Something that has nothing to do with thinking about this anymore," Cunningham said.
Sandra is a proud parent who is opening up about the path forward for her daughter. She recalls early on in the hospital, even basic communication was difficult.
"She was signing in bed, when she still had the tracheostomy, because she wanted to speak and say things," Sandra said. "Her strength and determination to get better. How hard she worked."
With graduation meaning something different for each senior, she tells me yet another deadly mass shooting, this one at Michigan State University, also led to a change in plans.
"Once the Michigan State shooting happened, that was something that deterred her from taking that route. It didn’t seem like the best route for her," Sandra said. "I think she’s just looking for something that’s going to bring her happiness. Everyone is going to recover differently and grieve differently."
As they hold their children close, families say they can never forget what took place that day, but they also see graduation as a way of starting a new chapter.
"I think we still take things minute by minute, we are very excited to see where she’s going to go, but there is no pressure to get there," Sandra said.
And for some, community support has made a tremendous difference along the way.
"There’s a significant portion of the community that really did step up. That wrapped their arms around us in so many ways I never thought possible," Linda said. "I didn’t know a single person that was injured or had a child that passed away, before this happened. Through this, we really did form a bond. We had to lean on each other, no one fully understood or understands, and I wish no one ever has to understand this.”
Looking ahead, families tell me they’re planning to maintain those close ties as they approach the future.