50 new firefighters graduated from the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service fire school Thursday afternoon. But one graduate was unable to attend.
Joseph Canatella was hurt in a car accident over the weekend.
We look at the special ceremony and how fellow classmates honored Canatella.
An empty chair at graduation after 12 grueling weeks of fire school...
"It really means a lot that they honor Joe here. He's been looking forward to this day for so long, ever since he joined the fire academy he's really loved it," said Joseph Canatella's younger brother Austin.
Recruit Joseph Canatella of Bryan is still in the hospital after a head-on car crash on Harvey Mitchell Parkway on Sunday.
"Joe is, he's doing good, he's doing well. And he's just his family's proud of him, his family loves him, and we're with him through it all," Austin Canatella said.
Joe's younger brother Austin was at the ceremony to receive his graduation certificate.
"He really loves it and it's just, I'm glad I get to be here for him and support him and he wanted me to be here for him today. He wanted me to walk the stage for him and get his diploma for him so I'm going to do that," he said.