But it wasnt just nerves.
Unbeknownst to the audience, the 18 year old buried his father shortly before taking the stage.
Gasps rippled across the auditorium as he revealed the tragic news.
Credit:Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD
I cant stand up here and pretend I want to be doing this speech right now.
But I cant throw something away that he worked so hard for me to achieve, he said.
The crowd rose to its feet as Hadzic, overcome with emotion, stepped away from the lectern.
The outpouring of support he received after the ceremony buoyed his spirit.
“I didnt know any of them but they came up to me, Hadzic recalled.
They made me feel better.
They wanted to take pictures with me.
They told me how strong I was and it made me feel so much better.
It made me feel so good on such a dark day.
It was really what I needed.
In a few months Hadzic will attend University of Texas at Austin to study chemical engineering.
