South Plains College graduate navigates grief after mother’s sudden death
LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - What was supposed to be a time of celebration turned into a season of heartbreak for South Plains College graduate Noemi Garcia. Just days before her May 2025 graduation, Garcia learned her mother had been hospitalized in Mexico. She died on April 30, less than two weeks before the ceremony. “It’s such a heartbreak to have to go through that as such a young age. She knew I was about to graduate. I told her to get up, please get out of here, she never woke up,” Garcia said. Garcia missed her official graduation, but South Plains College worked together to organize a private ceremony on May 23. The college president attended and personally handed her the diploma. Now, Garcia is facing her next challenge, trying to continue her education. She had planned to transfer to Texas Tech University but missed the scholarship deadline due to her mother’s death. Without financial aid, she’s unsure if attending Tech this semester or at all, will be possible...