Neighbors come together to celebrate 2020 graduate
A Camden neighborhood decided to do its part to congratulate a member of its community for completing his senior year.
Local author and founder of Autistic Voyage, Wyletta Johnson said that she was heartbroken when Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced that there would be no traditional graduations any time soon. Her son, Darius Collins, is autistic and was set to graduate with the rest of the Camden Fairview 2020 senior class in May before the coronavirus pandemic changed everything.
“Darius was so excited about graduation,” Johnson said. “I was heartbroken when we got the news. I know it was hard for everybody but for us it was intensified because Darius didn’t understand. If you know him, you know its not like him to talk about events where its going to be a whole lot of people, but everyday he would talk about graduation and prom. It really meant something to him so when we heard there wouldn’t be any graduations I cried all day.”
Johnson said that after the tears stopped she knew she had to do something for her son to commemorate him receiving his diploma. She said that she talked with a friend and originally was going to see about having a parade come by the house, but her friend suggested she and Darius plan to ride down the street and invite everyone to come outside to congratulate Darius.
Johnson agreed and thought the graduation ride would just go down Osage Street, but as she and her husband Leroy were putting the invites in mailboxes, people from surrounding streets asked how they could partici
pate. Before she knew it, her son was going to have a “Neighborhood Graduation.” There were also former teachers and friends from all around Camden that came out to the event and sent gifts.
“Ladies from Quapaw Street and Cherokee Street were asking about it,” Johnson said. “I didn’t expect the response that we got. Darius knew were going to ride but he wasn’t expecting the gifts. There was a whole sign in my yard when we went outside and I don’t even know who did it. You know I’m extra, so we downloaded ‘Pomp and Circumstance’ so we could play it. Just for people to show up meant the world to him. So many people made signs for him and he had his own cheer squad there. It was just amazing.”
Johnson said that she couldn’t thank everyone enough for helping to put a smile on Darius’ face and said that the turnout showed her just how people can make the best out of a troublesome situation.
“You would think this thing (virus) would separate us but it’s really bringing people together,” Johnson said. “God is still in control… Now, I’ll have to run around again and put the ‘thank you’ cards in everyone’s mailboxes. So if people see me in their yards that’s what I’m doing.”