New Yorkers Stage Graduation For Student Stuck On A Subway Train

A stuck train couldn’t derail Jerich Marco Alcantara’s graduation

Here’s a much-needed reminder that the world is still full of (mostly) good people: When Jerich Marco Alcantara didn’t make it to his graduation from Hunter College Tuesday morning, all the other stuck passengers threw him a graduation ceremony of his own.

Alcantara told ABC the train was delayed for about 90 minutes in Queens before, when it couldn’t be fixed, rescue trains were sent to pick up the stuck passengers. The rescue trains took another half hour to arrive, and then they got delayed at the next station because of signal problems.

“Everyone seemed annoyed, and by that time, my commencement was already about an hour in,” Alcantara said. “So I felt like lightening the mood and thanked everyone for ‘coming to my graduation.’ Told them it meant a lot to me, and they applauded it.”

Alcantara was also interviewed by New York 1, who posted the interview to Twitter.

“I was wearing the cap and gown the whole time and honestly, when we were on the train it looked like everyone was upset, tired of that,” he said. “So I decided I’d just thank everyone for being there for my graduation, that it meant a lot to me and then they just all started cheering.”

Then, someone played Green Day’s “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” while the passengers on the train threw a full on graduation ceremony for Alcantara. His friend made him a diploma on an iPhone, which was Airdropped to the other passengers in the car. They laughed, cheered and “awwed” while he posed for photos in his cap and gown. It was a truly great moment.

Congrats to Alcantara on his graduation, and New York City metro riders for making our day!