It was an emotional ceremony as his classmate walked a mural of him across the stage and the principal presented his diploma, honor cords, and a mural of Lee to his family. Lee's family members, seated in the audience, proudly wore shirts with his picture and his jersey number.

The McKinley graduates and faculty also sported a blue ribbon with a dove and the number 5. Cheers could be heard all over the auditorium of graduates celebrating their milestone,  but in doing so they also acknowledge their fallen panther.

"We have lost a panther that should be celebrating this day right along with us. We remember him for his honesty towards every one of us his love his classmates and his passion to make it in today's society," says one of the class salutatorians. 

A celebratory occasion but a somber time for Lee's family shedding tears at times during the ceremony. 

"I'm feeling emotional but I'm also feeling rejoiced because I know this something that he looked forward too and we did too. So, I'm celebrating in his honor, said his aunt Pamela Hickman. "It's a horrible feeling, and I hope they do catch this person whomever did this because we do want justice and we're not going to stop until justice is done."