Young Woman's Drive-By Graduation Honors Sister Who Died In Crash

MATTITUCK, NY — Sunday should have marked Carly Doorhy's graduation from Sacred Heart University in CT. But due to the coronavirus pandemic, Carly's Mother's Day graduation plans to walk across the stage and accept her degree were put on hold — like those of so many young people who have seen their dreams and memories deferred.

Nothing could stop her friends and family, however, from celebrating Carly's achievement. And she did so with a fervent desire not to mark just her own graduation, but that of her sister, Kaitlyn, who died in 2014 after she was struck by a car while also a student at Sacred Heart.

And so on Sunday, Carly celebrated graduation for them both. Her cap was adorned with the words, "Grad of SHU, For me and for you, KD," along with angel wings, the symbol for Kait's Angels, the not-for-profit group set up to honor her sister's memory with acts of kindness for others in the community.

A sea of firetrucks, police cars, friends and family drove by the Doorhy home, horns and sirens blaring, to honor Carly.

"On Mother’s Day our child kept us all very busy," Darla Doorhy, Carly's mom, wrote Monday. "Carly should have graduated from Sacred Heart University yesterday, which would have been the best Mother’s Day gift. But due to the pandemic we celebrated her and her accomplishments with a surprise drive-by graduation. We are so proud of you, Carly. Next up, grad school at Old Dominion University in Virginia for her masters degree in speech language pathology. You will move mountains!"

The drive-by graduation was a first in the community, Darla said. "Carly was so surprised."

Tim Bialeski, Darla said, arranged the parade of cars and first responder vehicles for Carly, along with the Mattituck Fire Department.

Not being able to accept her degree, her mother said, was difficult for Carly. "She wanted to walk for her and her sister. Neither of them got the chance while attending Sacred Heart University."

Virtual graduation, Darla said, "was a first and very sad," as was giving her daughter a cap and gown they had to purchase on Ebay. "But the way Carly decorated her cap brought tears to my eyes — always remembering her big sister Kait!"

Carly, she said, graduated after earning honors all four years. "She did it for herself and for her sister," Darla said. "The best Mother’s Day present to me was finally seeing our daughter smile and not being sad about not having a graduation. Literally, putting together a surprise drive-by graduation in less than 10 days was the highlight of this pandemic."

"Officially a SHU alum," Carly wrote on Facebook. "Such an amazing day, considering the circumstances. I’ll never forget it. Thank you to everyone who made it so memorable and to all my Class of 2020 Pios. We’re not going out like this. See you at actual graduation!"