JIM: GRADUATION IS TYPICALLY A SPECIAL TIME FOR HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS BUT FOR ONE YOUNG MAN IN VOLUSIA COUNTY, IT IS BITTERSWEET. SUMMER: INSTEAD OF TAKING PART OF THE POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE, HE IS SPENDING TIME WITH HIS DYING FATHER. JIM: AND THE COMMUNITY IS RALLYING AROUND HIM. WESH 2’S CLAIRE METZ SHOWS US HOW THE COMMUNITY WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND. >> IT HAS BEEN ME AND MY DAD AGAINST THE WORLD PRETTY MUCH. HE HAS REALLY SACRIFICED EVERYTHING FOR ME. CLAIRE: GABRIEL BRIDGES IS FACING A HARSH TRUTH AS THE REST OF HIS MAINLINE HIGH SCHOOL CLASSMATES ARE CELEBRATING GRADUATION. HIS FATHER IS DYING IN HOSPICE CARE. THEY ALLOWED US TO SHARE THESE PRECIOUS PICTURES AND MAINLINE HIGH SCHOOL ARRANGED TO LET GABRIEL GET HIS CAP AND DOWN AND DIPLOMA EARLY. >> HE OPENED HIS EYES AND I FEEL LIKE HE UNDERSTOOD WHAT WAS HAPPENING. I AM JUST GLAD HE COULD SEE IT. HE COULD SEE THAT HE DID A GOOD JOB. CLAIRE: THE COMMUNITY INCLUDING STACI TRAIMONT WHO LAST YEAR CREATED AND ADOPT A SENIOR PROGRAM, SAID ALL OF THE SUPPORTERS ARE STEPPING UP TO HELP GABRIEL FILL A FUTURE VOID. THEY ARE READY TO DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO MAKE SURE HE FEELS LOVED AND CELEBRATED. CLAIRE: GABRIEL SAID THAT WAS THE ROLE HIS DEAR FATHER FILLED ALL THESE YEARS. A REAL, BY HIS FATHER’S SIDE EVERY MOMENT HAS LEARNED THE MOST VALUABLE LESSON. >> YOU JUST HAVE TO SPEND EVERY MOMENT WITH YOUR FAMILY. THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. YOU CANNOT GO BACK IN TIME. CLAIRE: GOING FORWARD, GABRIEL IS HEADING INTO THE MILITARY. A DREAM HE SHARED WITH HIS DAD. >> HE WILL BE THERE. HE WILL GIVE ME ADVICE. I KNOW THAT HE WILL S