Georgia student who nearly dropped out of school to support family will graduate

A young man from Laurens County was close to dropping out of high school as his family struggled to make ends meet. But this month, Bryce Evans will get to walk across the stage and come home with a diploma.

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Evans told Central Georgia station 13WMAZ his mother was in and out of jail his whole life. As he got older, he'd drive people around to earn some money to send to her in jail.

At age 14, Evans thought of dropping out of East Laurens High School, he told the television station.

Then staffers at Dairy Queen stepped in to help, and gave him a job at the local ice creamery. Today, Evans’ mother is out of jail and the soon-to-be graduate will walk across the stage on May 31.

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"Walking back and knowing I'm starting a new life, and it's going to be better than what I left behind here, hoping I can provide even better for my family than what I can now," he told the station.

Evans plans to attend massage therapy school in Atlanta after graduation.