FORT VALLEY, Ga. — A 2020 Peach County grad has already begun his college journey, but his mom decided her son needed a proper celebration to commemorate his accomplishments.
She got a little help from her community.
Peach County football's Justin Harris is used to helping the Trojans march down the football field, but over the weekend there was a different kind of parade waiting for him.
"It was lit, cars honking. They even had the fire truck sound going on," Harris said.
Harris said he was out hanging with a fellow Trojan but came home and knew something was fishy.
"My mom said, 'let's go for a walk,' and I had just put my brand new shoes on so I was like, 'really? when I put my fit on?'" Harris said.
When he came to the street there was a parade of cars with signs full of gifts waiting for him.
Cars honked, signs waved and family, friends and neighbors from all over came to celebrate Harris' accomplishments.
The graduate signed to play football at Georgia Southern University and has already completed his first year thanks to dual enrollment.
"I just wanted to bring some cheer to my son," said O'Sheta Harris, Justin's mom.
She was overwhelmed by the support for her son.
"Peach County, one thing about it, they come together for their community, and that was just really unbelievable how the community came together and rallied around my son," she said.
Harris' high school graduation has been put off for now, but he said even if he never gets to walk, that will be okay.
"The parade made up for it, it made up for it, and the parade that Peach County, the high school, threw as well -- that made up for it," Harris said. "Hopefully I still get to walk across the stage. That's the plan; that's the goal. If I don't, I'm really thankful for my family, my friends and the community because Peach County I'm telling you. They know how to stick together."
Harris was an All-State receiver while at Peach County and despite the coronavirus putting things on hold, he was still able to get some spring practice as a GSU Eagle.
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