95-Year-Old World War II Vet Earns His High School Diploma After 77 Years: 'A Bucket List Item'

But despite all of those accomplishments, Picariello felt he was still missing a major one: earning his high school diploma.“It’s been a bucket list item, most recently in the last few years,” his son, Michael, told independent Boston channelWHDH.Wanting to make it happen, Picariello’s friends at the local VFW recently reached out to Needham Public Schools and asked if getting his diploma would still be a possibility, according to WCVB.

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Picariello’s longtime friend, Albert Mercuri, was also in attendance on Wednesday and couldn’t have been happier for his pal, according to WCVB.“I’m proud of him,” said Mercuri, an Army veteran who became separated from Picariello during the war but later reunited. “We grew up together, we’re both 95-years-old.“With his diploma now in his possession, Picariello said he plans to frame it so he’ll be able to see it every day, according to WHDH. He also joked that he’s now focused on the next step of his educational journey.“Will it get me into some college now?” he quipped to WHDH.

source: people.com