StaceyAnn Castro Tapler, a 49-year-old U.S. Marine veteran, is set to graduate from the University of Central Florida (UCF) alongside her 21-year-old son, Johnny Castro, who aspires to be a doctor. Their journey to this moment has been shaped by resilience and personal challenges, particularly Johnny's neurological hearing loss. Castro Tapler's dream of attending UCF began when she was a teenager in 1993, but life events, including military service and family responsibilities, delayed her education for 33 years. After relocating from Long Island to Orlando, she enrolled at UCF, where she found support from the Office of Military and Veteran Student Success. Both mother and son have chosen degree paths that reflect their experiences, with Castro Tapler aiming to teach special education and Johnny pursuing communications sciences and disorders as a stepping stone to medical school. Their story highlights the importance of family support and determination in overcoming obstacles, as they prepare to walk across the graduation stage together.