Dwyane Wade surprises graduates at Stoneman Douglas
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 10: Dwyane Wade #3 of the Miami Heat looks on prior to the game against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on April 10, 2019 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) - Retired NBA star Dwyane Wade was a surprise guest speaker Sunday at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School's graduation ceremony. He led cheers and recalled how nervous he was to meet students following the on-campus shootings last year that claimed 17 lives.
Wade called himself "part of this MSD family" and told graduates that it was understandable if they felt unsure about their futures. He said that in some ways, after 16 years in the NBA, he also was unsure exactly what his future entails.
Wade's appearance was not publicly disclosed before it happened. Such was the case when he visited the school the day it reopened following the shootings on Feb. 14, 2018.
Wade closed his remarks by asking those in attendance to join him in a cheer that he used to spur on the Miami Heat in the 2013 NBA Finals.
The cheer was punctuated by the words "to the last man, to the last minute, to the last second, we fight! We fight! We fight!" And once he led the graduates and their guests in the cheer, he wrapped up his speech by again saying "MSD Strong" -- the school's mantra since the tragedy.