A heartwarming story unfolded at East Carolina University as a mother-daughter duo graduated from the registered nurse program together. Jessica Van Wagenen, a retired former Marine, put her education on hold to provide stability for her daughters. However, she decided to pursue her dreams once more, and her daughter, Keelin, followed suit.

This unique achievement marked the first instance of such a mother-daughter graduation at the university. Jessica shared, “At first, they thought we were sisters, and then I would have to explain that I was the mom, and we were doing it together.”

Keelin expressed her immense pride in her mother’s determination, saying, “I tell her every day that I’m proud of her and she continued to do what she wanted to do.”

Both women have already embarked on their nursing careers, with Keelin working as a pediatric nurse at ECU Health and Jessica as an operating room nurse at Carteret Healthcare.

Their shared journey through nursing school created lasting memories. Jessica enthused, “It’s pretty exciting. It’s really nice to be able to share that with my daughter. We will always have that together.” Keelin proudly added, “It feels cool. Some people went to school with their siblings, some with their significant others, I just get to say I went with my mom.”

This inspiring tale reminds us to never give up on our goals and offers a heartwarming example of family support. Share this uplifting story to spread happiness and motivation.