WWII Veteran Gets High School Diploma Over 80 Years After Dropping Out to Help His Family: 'So Honored'
“It just feels great because I was like an outcast,” Anthony Simeone said at his graduation ceremony
Kris Craig/The Providence Journal/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Anthony SimeoneA WWII veteran was recently honored with his high school diploma over 80 years after dropping out.
Anthony Simeone, the 98-year-old who left school at the age of 16 in 1942 to support his family, was the guest of honor at a graduation ceremony at Cranston High School East on Thursday, Nov. 14, according to local ABC affiliate WLNE-TV.
“It just feels great because I was like an outcast,” the Cranston resident told WLNE-TV. “Everybody around me had a diploma, and I didn’t."
Speaking with NBC affiliate WJAR, he added, "I am so honored."
Kris Craig/The Providence Journal/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Anthony SimeoneRelated: 95-Year-Old World War II Vet Earns His High School Diploma After 77 Years: 'A Bucket List Item'
Simeone told the outlet that he grew up during the Great Depression, which hadn't been easy.
"I had to do what I had to do," he said of being taken out of school at 16. "My family needed money."
Two years later, Simeone was drafted when he turned 18, according to the New York Post. During his time in the military he fought in the infamous Battle of the Bulge, and afterwards pursued a career as a machinist, a position he held until his retirement back in 1991.
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He also obtained his GED at the New England Institute of Technology, however, he didn't receive a diploma at the time.
Simeone's happy graduation ceremony was attended by around 100 people, including his wife of 51 years, Virginia, as well as their children and grandchildren.
Cranston High School East principal Thomas Barbieri spoke highly of Simeone during the ceremony.
“Today we gather to honor Anthony Simeone, a remarkable man whose life exemplifies service, resilience, and dedication,” he said, according to the New York Post.
