Some graduations take a little longer than planned.

Harlan Olson finally crossed the stage for his high school diploma at age 101, 81 years after he missed commencement when he was drafted into military service during World War II.

Editor’s Note: This story originally aired on June 17, 2024. Harlan Olson passed away on May 20, 2026. The WWII vet was laid to rest with military honors, a few weeks after celebrating his 103rd birthday. Grace Nonnemacher, who escorted Harlan across the stage at commencement, is currently a student at Lake Superior College in Duluth.

“Yeah,” Harlan said, “They drafted me.”

Harlan was 19 when he was ordered to report for military service before his high school graduation. His father picked up his diploma as Harlan began service in the infantry during WWII.

“We always said, he crawled through France and Germany on his stomach,” Harlan’s wife Pat said.

A few months before the ceremony, Pat and Harlan shared the story of the missed commencement with graduating senior Grace Nonnemacher at an after-church coffee. Grace has known the Olsons since her family joined United Church of Two Harbors when she was six years old.

“They’ve always loved Grace,” her father, Dave Nonnemacher said.

He said the idea came quickly.

“The wheels started turning and I thought, ‘that man needs to walk across the stage and get his diploma handed to him,’” Dave Nonnemacher said.

Grace said she loved the idea.

“That’s really cool,” she remembered thinking.

Harlan’s reaction was immediate.

“Holy (expletive),” he recalled thinking.

“Never too late,” said Tom Tusken, the principal at Duluth’s Denfeld High School, where Grace was graduating and Harlan should have graduated.

Once the Nonnemachers told the school, Tusken said he wanted to make it happen.

“My reaction was, we will find a way to make that happen,” he said.

The school did not need to order a diploma.

“This is Harlan’s original diploma from 1943,” Tusken said, holding up the yellowed document. “They brought it to us.”

On graduation night, Harlan’s family brought him to the auditorium. Outside, his sons helped him with his cap and gown as Grace arrived in hers.

“I’m feeling good, I’m excited,” Grace said.

As “Pomp and Circumstance” played, 200 graduates entered Denfeld’s historic auditorium. Harlan sat in the auditorium seats off one side of the stage with Grace beside him.

“Are you nervous?” she asked him.

“It’s a long time since I graduated,” Harlan replied.

“You deserve it though,” Grace told him.

Pat sat with the rest of the Olson family on the opposite side of the stage.

“I’m so proud of him,” she said.

Harlan agreed to take part on one condition.

“’Grace escorts me across the stage,’” Dave Nonnemacher says Harlan insisted.

Before the Class of 2024 received their diplomas, Harlan, escorted by Grace, walked onto the same stage where his classmates had received theirs 81 years earlier. A sustained standing ovation began as they made their way to center stage.

“Harlan, on behalf of Duluth Public Schools and Denfeld High School, congratulations,” Tusken told him as he handed over the diploma.

“Thank you very much,” Harlan said.

The rest of the Class of 2024 followed, including Grace, who returned to receive her own diploma.

After leaving the stage, Grace hugged him.

“I’m proud of you,” she told him.

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