Dakota Johnson Graduates From High School Days Before His Death

Credit: ktla.com

Dakota Johnson had always dreamed of graduating from high school. Johnson suffered from Duchenne muscular dystrophy for most of his life, so graduation was never a certainty. Fortunately, the high school senior was able to complete all of his schoolwork and officially graduated on April 24, just two days before he died.

The Tennessee teen was not able to walk across the stage for the full-on celebration. However, staff from the Johnson City school district brought the ceremony to his hospital bedroom. Johnson City Schools Superintendent Steve Barnett handed Dakota his diploma. Dressed in his cap and gown, Dakota then posed for photos with loved ones while in his bed.

Johnson had been enrolled in homebound schooling since seventh grade. At one point he had told his teacher Allison Russell that his goals for senior year were to go to prom and graduate. Unfortunately, he was not able to attend prom but did accomplish the latter.

Life Goal Fulfilled

Dakota Johnson, 19, was admitted to Johnson City Medical Center for heart failure a few days before he died. Russell took it upon herself to make sure that Dakota experienced at least some kind of graduation ceremony while he was there.

“What mattered most to me is that I wanted Dakota to experience that and his grandmother to experience that,” Russell said. (Dakota Johnson was raised by his grandmother.) “His grandmother told me that it was probably the happiest day of his life to get that diploma, so I am happy we were able to do that for him.”

Credit: wkrn.com

Dakota’s aunt, Susan Breeden, said that the ceremony meant a lot to the family. “Thank you for honoring him, the nurses at the hospital, and the school system. We are forever grateful for their kindness.”

It’s heartwarming to see a community come together like this to make a young man’s dream come true just hours before he died. As far as his personality and interests, Dakota was like many other teens. According to Russell, Dakota Johnson had a great sense of humor, enjoyed playing video games and was a caring and very loving person.

“[He was] a very funny young man, had a wonderful sense of humor … was very caring, very loving, he loved the people around him,” Russell said. “I’m really proud of him and what he’s accomplished, and I’ll miss him for a lifetime.”

Dakota Johnson was sick for most of his life. But at least he was able to experience one of his lifelong dreams before he died.