Son, mom who dropped out graduating high school together

WASHINGTON (WABC) -- Graduation is a proud moment for families, but for one mom and son, it's a ceremony 18 years in the making.

Enjoli Harris and her son Elijah will get their high school diplomas together in a story that has come full circle, after Enjoli dropped out after learning she was pregnant during her senior year. It was the last straw during hard times.

"Whenever I'm asked about my biggest regret in life, I say hands down, I always say it was dropping out of high school," she said.

Instead, the school of life taught her plenty: Elijah's asthma, a second child, surviving a violent marriage, raising a family on her own, finding a great guy, then having two more kids.

When Elijah made it to high school, he inspired a desire to get her degree. But she was reluctant to go back.

"I'm so proud of him, and I'm blown by what he's accomplished that I didn't want to take that away from him," she said. "I wanted him to have his moment to shine."

But he saw it differently.

"I always find it cool that my mom is doing that," he said. "She is grabbing this opportunity, doing the best she can with it."

Enjoli finished the last six credits she needed to graduate, mostly online, while juggling everything else in her busy life.

"And kind of like the way my mom is proud of me, I'm also proud of her," Elijah said.

And now that graduation time is here, both will get their high school diplomas from Renton Technical College.

"I am so happy," Enjoli said. "Accomplishing this is amazing."

She hopes others hear about their story and finds their own inspiration.

"Nothing has to stop them," she said. "No obstacle, no struggle, no trial has to hold you back."

Her last class was one required course on Washington state history, and in graduating with her son, it's possible now they're making history.