Following the hooding ceremony for the class, the four military students marched onto the stage to hear their promotion orders read aloud. Fogarty led the new Graduate Medical Officers in reaffirmation of their oath.
It ' s a moving moment on an emotional day – Armed Forces Day – that concludes with the playing of the Armed Forces Medley, where current and former members of each branch in attendance stand at attention as their service branch song is played.
Misty-eyed among them were Roman Peacock and George Balazs.
Shortly after the recessional, two other Niceville High graduates with familial military connections reunited with family in the shade outside of Westcott Hall.
Siblings Braden Cathey and Rachel Cervera celebrated their completion of medical school together, hooded in that order. Rachel was visibly beaming in the background as Tallahassee Regional Campus Dean Dr. Sandeep Rahangdale placed the hood over Braden’ s head.
Luis Cervera, who was hooded with his Fort Pierce Regional Campus class, blew a kiss to Rachel as he walked on stage. She stood to watch campus dean Dr. Juliette Lomax-Homier place the hood over his head.
“ I didn’ t have to stand for Braden because I was right behind him in line,” Rachel said.
Later, the siblings were seen posing for a photo with their wheelchair-bound maternal grandfather, U. S. Army veteran Brantley Clark, and other family members.
“ We weren’ t sure he was going to be able to make it today,” Rachel said.“ Getting him to be able to come today was so important. I saw him standing up when they played the Army song. I was very impressed.”
The Cerveras couples-matched at the University of Tennessee Graduate Medical School in Knoxville. The Lambas – Nikhil and Jasmin – also wed this year and are headed to the Tampa area for residency.
“ It’ s a very special moment, to not only share with her – my new wife – but my family, as well,” Luis said.“ Graduation is great, but to me, she is and the family we will create and life together is my greatest achievement. This is just the cherry on top.”
There was seemingly no shortage of love and appreciation in the air. Class President Sean Wimberley set the tone in the program as he addressed his classmates:
“ This speech is not mine alone – it belongs to all of us. Each voice, each story, and each step in this journey has contributed to the collective experience we now celebrate.”
Wimberley closed with this:
Rachel and Luis Cervera
“ I don’ t think anyone else can say that they got to go to school with their sibling, but they also met their husband and got married when they were there,” said Rachel, who married classmate Luis Cervera in April.“ It’ s been really special. I’ m very lucky that I got to do this with my family. I felt very supported.”
“ May we move forward as physicians who lead with heart, guided by knowledge, grounded in compassion, and inspired by the strength we have found in each other.”
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