Rian Holcombe just brought tears to my eyes. This 20-year-old young man has Down's Syndrome and was recently accepted into Clemson University. His parents were able to capture the moment he received and understood the acceptance letter on camera, and his reaction is so honest and full of pure joy that his happiness actually feels contagious. In the words of his mother, Rian is "going to be a Clemson Tiger" and he couldn't be more thrilled.
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Rian has been admitted to Clemson's LIFE program which was created for "students with intellectual disabilities who desire a postsecondary experience on a college campus," and will begin his studies at the university in the fall of 2014. The program focuses on career preparation, self-discovery and personal improvement, and students take academic courses and are encouraged to participate in internships and to be active members of the community.
It appears that for Rian, this is a dream come true. And in my opinion, this should be the case for every American who is lucky enough to attend college. Not to chastise, but it does at times seem that high schoolers in our country take for granted that not only will that get into college, but that they will have no problem paying for it and will get a job immediately upon graduation. But the fact is, every student who receives an acceptance letter should feel blessed and thankful, because there are millions of deserving kids out there who aren't so lucky, and who would do just about anything for the same opportunity.
I personally am thankful that Rian is one of these kids and that he appears to be all too aware of what an amazing gift this is. I hope his spirit rubs off on everyone this holiday season, and that he inspires many to go after their dreams with an open heart and gracious attitude.
Embedded content: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UtymXSMsDU#t=29
*Originally published on December 20, 2013
Image via YouTube
