BRIANA: A STORY ABOUT A WOMAN WITH REMARKABLE DETERMINATION. KENNY: SHE JUST GRADUATED FROM FORSYTH TECH. WANDA: SHE STANDS OUT IN THE 2019 GRADUATING CLASS OF FORSYTH TECH. SHE IS NOT ONLY AN HONOR GRADUATE, SHE IS THE OLDEST GRADUATE IN THE SCHOOL’S HISTORY. THAT IS ONLY ONE OF MANY THINGS THAT MAKES HER STORY TRULY INSPIRING. IT IS A HISTORIC DAY AT THE JOEL COLISEUM. MORE THAN 600 GRADUATES ARE AWAITING THEIR MOMENT ON THE BIG STAGE. AMONG THEM A 77-YEAR-OLD EAR CHILDHOOD EDUCATION STUDENTS. THE OLDEST GRADUATE AT FORSYTH TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE. >> NO MATTER HOW OLD YOU ARE, YOU CAN GO BACK AND FINISH. I JUST FEEL LIKE EDUCATION IS YOUR TICKET. >> BUT THIS IS NOTHING NEW FOR MARY ALICE COLEMAN OR MISS MARY AS WE CALL HER. THIS IS HER THIRD DEGREE. HER LOVE AFFAIR WITH EDUCATION BEGAN 46 YEARS AGO. >> THIS IS MY GED. >> MARY ALICE COLEMAN WAS A 31-YEAR-OLD DIVORCED MOTHER OF NINE ON WELFARE WHEN SHE DECIDED TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL. SHE WENT ON TO GET AN ASSOCIATE DEGREE IN NURSING BEFORE ENROLLING AT HOWARD UNIVERSITY IN WASHINGTON, D.C. IT WASN’T EASY. >> THIS DRUNK PASSED ME AND HEARD ME SAY, LORD HAVE MERCY, WILL I EVER MAKE IT? HE SAID, YOU WILL MAKE IT, MAYBE. I SAID, THAT WILL -- YOU WILL MAKE IT, BABY. I SAID, THAT WAS THE HOLY SPIRIT . I WENT ON. >> SHE WENT ON TO GRADUATE, TO WORK IN HOSPITALS WHERE SHE BECAME A NURSING SUPERVISOR. SHE SAYS SHE WAS DRIVING TO WORK WHEN DAY WHEN SHE WAS STRUCK BY A DRUNK DRIVER. HER WORLD AT 59 TURNED UPSIDE DOWN. >> MY CAR WENT OFF THE ROAD AND INTO A TREE. I HAVE A NOT RIGHT HERE WHERE MY HEAD HIT THE DASHBOARD AND I BLACKED OUT. >> MISS MARY SPENT THREE MONTHS IN THE HOSPITAL BATTLING INJURIES, INFECTION AND A NEW NORMAL. >> THE WHOLE RIGHT SIDE OF MY BODY WAS AFFECTED. I WAS ACTUALLY WALKING WITH A CANE. >> TODAY MISS MARY WALKS , UNASSISTED. SHE FOUND NEW STRENGTH AND ANOTHER CAREER AFTER MOVING TO WINSTON-SALEM TO BE NEAR ONE OF HER DAUGHTER >> I WAS WALKING DOWN THE STREET ONE DAY AND I SAW THIS LADY IN HER BACKYARD. AND I SAID, YOU HAVE A DAY CARE? SHE SAID, YES. SO I SAID, DO YOU NEED HELP? SHE SAID, YES. I WAS NOT UP TO PAR. BUT I JUST KEPT PUSHING. AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, I STARTED FEELING BETTER. THIS IS THE WAY WE WASH OUR HANDS, WASH OUR HANDS. >> MISS MARY, WHO NOW WORKS AT FOUNDATIONS EARLY LEARNING CENTER, ENROLLED AT FORSYTH TECH IN 2013 TO GET CERTIFIED IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION. THIS IS A DREAM JOB FOR THIS MOTHER OF 12, GRANDMOTHER 0F 35 AND GREAT GRANDMOTHER OF EIGHT. >> BROWN BEAR, BROWN BEAR, WHAT DO YOU SEE? A WHITE DOG. HE SAID, I SEE A WHITE DOG. >> I LIKE TO SEE THEM SOAK UP THE KNOWLEDGE AND THEN BRING IT BACK TO YOU. >> MISS MARY SAYS HER GOAL TODAY AT 77 IS THE SAME AS IT WAS ALMOST 50 YEARS AGO TO INSPIRE -- YEARS AGO. TO INSPIRE HER CHILDREN AND HELP OTHERS. >> I WANTED TO LEAVE A LEGACY FOR THEM AS WELL AS OTHER PEOPLE. I FEEL THAT GOD DON’T JUST PUT US ON THIS EARTH TO BE BLESSING CLOCKS. I FEEL THAT WE ARE SUPPOSED SERVE AND ALSO BLESS OTHERS. >> MARY ALICE COLEMAN NOW HAS 12 CHILDREN, FIVE OF THEM HAVE GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE, SOME WITH ADVANCED DEGREES. SHE’S HOPING HER MOST RECENT GRADUATION WILL INSPIRE ONE OF HER SONS TO RETURN TO COLLEGE. AND SHE WANTS TO INSPIRE YOUNG SINGLE MOTHERS TO NEVER GIVE UP, NEVER FEEL LIKE YOU’RE TRAPPED. TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR LIFE, RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE PROGRAMS OUT THERE THAT CAN HELP YOU GET AHEA JUST A REMARKABLE WOMAN. KENNY: THE WORLD COULD USE A FEW MORE MISS MARYS. SHE IS THE FIRST ONE TO GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE, DID I HEAR THAT RIGHT? >> ABSOLUTELY. SHE REALLY HAS LED BY EXAMPLE. SHE SAID WHEN SHE WAS WORKING AS A NURSING SUPERVISOR, ONE OF HER SONS SAW HER PAYCHECK AND SAID, WOW, I NEED TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL. HE DID. AND NOW HE IS A NURSING SUPERVISOR HE’S IN WASHINGTON DC WHERE SHE WORKS -- WASHINGT