This is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 70%. (I'm a bot)

Dakota Smith, a senior and varsity tackle at Clarksville High School in Arkansas was set to graduate on Friday, May 15th. All the usual preparations were made, a red gown and mortarboard were purchased, family and friends recieved invitations to see him awarded with the diploma that he had earned.

Even though the graduation was just mere hours away from the tragedy of Reserve Deputy Sonny Smith's death a contingent of area law enforcement officers quickly assembled intent on standing in proxy for Dakota's dad who was unable to witness his eldest son mark the competition of a successful high school career.

The support for Dakota Smith was overwhelming at the emotional graduation ceremony.

Extended Summary | FAQ | Theory | Feedback | Top five keywords: Dakota^#1 Smith^#2 Through^#3 just^#4 family^#5

Post found in /r/UpliftingNews, /r/ProtectAndServe and /r/news.