West Orange, NJ, Student Fights Cancer, Claims Diploma

West Orange, NJ – There were 512 seniors that took proud steps onto the stage for the West Orange High class of 2016, each of whom defeated their own challenges to call themselves graduates.

But one student’s attendance at last week’s graduation ceremony represented a struggle of a different kind… a fight against cancer.

During a touching ceremony at Codey Arena, school administrators presented the first diploma of the night to James Tiernan, a 12th grader who has been battling leukemia and recently received a bone marrow transplant.

According to school officials, doctors had told Tiernan that he might be unable to attend his graduation ceremony until last week, when he began to show enough improvement to make a brief appearance and claim his hard-earned diploma.

When Principal Hayden Moore handed Tiernan his diploma on June 22, the entire student body erupted into a sustained cheer.

Tiernan didn’t speak, but his appreciation was evident in his huge smile, school officials said.

• See related article: West Orange High Graduates Class of 2016: Photos, Video

The show of goodwill from the West Orange High Student body was reminiscent of its recent support of a WOHS cheerleader who began a fight with cancer last year.

• See related article: Cancer-Battling N.J. Cheerleader Gets Pep Rally From Peers

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Photo: West Orange School District