Saturday, was the University of Minnesota Duluth’s graduating ceremony for the class of 2024.

And for graduate Mikayla Falteisek there was a miracle at the ceremony, cheering her on as she received her degree. Both her parents were hospitalized days before the ceremony. Leaving Mikayla unsure if they would make it to witness her big accomplishment.

“It was around April 14th, I drove back up Duluth and my mom called me saying that my dad was driven to the hospital. Where he spent 10 day there and then Friday my mom was also admitted to the hospital she was there for 4 days,” says Mikayla.

Her dad Mike spent 4 of those 10 days in a coma. He was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis “4 of those days of it was in a coma. I didn’t even know I was there,” says Mike.

The stress of Mike being sick caused Tara to have a heart attack. Tara says, “It was real stressful seeing him like that. And we were leaving the hospital, in the ramp and I didn’t feel good. Chest pain and down my arm and neck and everything. And we turned around and went back in and turns out I had a heart attack.”

Mikayla says she was out of class for a bout a week but says her professors were very understanding.

But now despite the odds, both Mom and Dad were able to attend Mikayla’s graduation. “I feel amazing, just filled with all the love from everybody and it’s very sweet,” says Mikala.