MICHIGAN CITY – Marquette Catholic High School senior Aleksandar Pecoski delivered on a promise that his valedictorian speech wouldn’t be “just another cliché graduation speech.” His speech left many teary-eyed or fighting back the tears during the school’s commencement ceremony on June 10.
“This day is about more than just the diploma…it's really about the journey it took to get here,” Pecoski began. “I'm about to share something I wouldn't normally share with any of you about my journey – how it was nothing I had planned and what I learned. One of the scariest moments in my life.”
He shared how early in his senior year of high school he received a call from his parents stating his sister, Angela, was airlifted to an Indianapolis hospital for a medical emergency. Upon arriving at the hospital, Pecoski recalled seeing tears in his mom’s eyes and learned of his sister’s condition; it was then he broke down.
In the following days and weeks, Pecoski thought he had accepted the entire situation- until his first visit to the rehabilitation center, where Angela was admitted for post-surgery rehab. He described it as a shock to his system to see a man strenuously practicing how to get out of his chair and sit back down, a woman relearning how to hold a fork, and a little boy struggling to relearn how to tie his shoes.
“Then I see my own sister doing the things that I don't ever think twice about – standing, walking, reaching, grabbing, talking – like they were the hardest things in the world,” Pecoski said. “And this journey gave me a perspective of that. I hope you all can carry that on the way out, especially as you step out of here and into a life of a little uncertainty.”
He offered his fellow graduates, as well as those sitting in the Scholl Center, life lessons through the lens of adversity.
Pecoski began by urging people to “be grateful for the life that you live. I realize that the life we're living right now is someone else's greatest wish. You are constantly living someone else's journey, crossing their own finish line with the small actions you unconsciously take.”
He explained that someone in a hospital wished for the opportunity to get out of bed on their own, walk down the aisle to receive their diploma, or even, “they would absolutely love to write a five-page paper for Mrs. (Stacey) Cassidy.”
“Take nothing for granted. Not the small things, not the hard things, not some random Tuesday, because somebody somewhere is praying for exactly that,” he said, “ At the time, my sister and the rest of my family would have given anything for the random Tuesday.”
Pecoski stressed being grateful for the blessings from God and not leaving a single opportunity on the table. “When you're truly grateful, you won't overlook any opportunities.”
He reminded his classmates to follow their own life’s journey. As today’s culture often defines and dictates what success looks like, everyone’s journey and successes will look different. For some, it’s good grades, a good job, while for the Pecoski family it was celebrating Angela taking three steps and picking up a fork.
“To us, that was a big win, but to anyone else, that's just normal,” he said while choking back tears. “The person next to you is supposed to have a different journey with a different timeline than you. You have to follow your own journey. Embrace it. God put these obstacles in your life for a purpose that's specific to you and only you.”
As for life’s obstacles, the valedictorian reiterated that obstacles are present for a reason and can move one down a path differently from one originally planned.
“Don't look at the obstacles like they weren't supposed to be there. Look at them as the very things that are pushing you forward in life. Let the obstacles guide you. Learn from them. And don't be afraid of them.”
Pecoski stated he always envisioned a career in medicine, but that has been reaffirmed following his sister’s journey.
He said, “I really believe that my purpose is to help others with, or through medicine. I want to become a doctor and serve people.”
Pecoski concluded by sharing, “The hard times can bring you closer to God. Watching Angela persevere through everything has taught me more than I ever could imagine.”
Pecoski was one of 53 students who received their diplomas. Marquette featured 23 summa cum laude graduates within the Class of 2026. As a cohort, the 53-member class combined to earn 1,625 dual college credits.
Very Reverend Christopher Stanish presided over the Class of 2026's Baccalaureate Mass with Very Reverend Jon Plavcan, Father Jordan Fetcko and Father Zachary Glick concelebrating.
Father Stanish addressed during his homily the unknowns and challenges of the graduates’ futures.
“Graduation is an exciting moment. And when you think about this, it can almost still be a little scary because it's a moment of transition. You're going to face opportunities, but also, you're going to face challenges. There's going to be moments when God's plan makes perfect sense. And other times you're wondering, what is happening right now? It's in all of those times that we find Christ,” he assured them.
He left them with a spiritual challenge as they prepare for the next stage of their lives.
“I want you to spend some time each day praying with the one question. And that is, Lord, who are you calling me to become?
He explained how the world is going to ask them what they want to do with their lives in regard to careers, family, friends, and even where they will reside. He acknowledged those are important questions, but “God asks a deeper one: who are you becoming?”
This is all about God working in our lives. He calls us to trust Him, not because He wants us to control us, but because He loves us and knows who we are capable of becoming. So never stop asking that question, Lord, who are you calling me to become? Because if you stay close to Him, He's going to show you.”
Caption: Marquette Catholic High School valedictorian Anthony Pecoski gives an emotional speech during the commencement ceremony in the Scholl Center on June 10. (Deacon Bob Wellinski photo)
