My high school graduation was a bit of a strange event, and for that reason, it was very memorable. I actually arrived at the ceremony 10 minutes late, after driving 12 hours home from a beach trip with a few friends. Exhausted and sunburnt, I snuck into my seat and waited for my name to be called to take the stage.
Moments after I sat down, loud thunder could be heard outside our school’s massive gymnasium, and after a particularly loud crack, the lights when out. After a few minutes of panic and a discussion of how to proceed, it was decided that the ceremony would go on and our entire class would graduate by flashlight. What could have been a boring event turned out to be a day that has stuck in my mind, forever.
The students graduating from Galena High School also had a memorable graduation ceremony, but for an entirely different reason. Thurman Carthen, the school’s custodian, sang the national anthem at the ceremony and blew everyone away with his amazing voice. In his 13 years working at the school in Reno, Nevada he had occasionally sung something in the hallway but was sure that no one, especially the students, had even noticed.
That’s why he was so shocked when he was approached by the principal to sing.
“I mean, I help the kids hang up their banners and stuff, but this was really something.”
To top it all off, it would be a fantastic send-off, as Thurman was retiring at the end of the school year.
“This is a great way to end my career,” said Thurman, who was surprised when Principal Tom Brown said students requested he sing at their graduation.
Tom only had excellent things to say about the long-time employee of the school, and his praises went beyond Thurman’s phenomenal voice.
“My perspective on Thurman is he is one of the nicest, most sincere people you could ever meet,” the principal said.
Thurman regularly sings for the congregation at the First Baptist Church of Black Springs on Sundays, so he’s no stranger to singing in front of a crowd. But, we all know that singing “The Star-Spangled Banner” can be a challenge for even the best vocalists. Fortunately, Thurman more than delivered, impressing every person in the crowd with his magical voice.
“He was breathtaking,” said Irene Payne, the communication director for Washoe County School District.
Watch Thurman’s beautiful performance in the video below!
