On foot, in wheelchairs and on stretchers, Napa High School's Class of 1997 graduated in an emotional ceremony tinged by sadness and hope.
Thirty-two members of the class were injured when a water slide at Waterworld USA in Concord buckled under their weight, sending them tumbling 40 feet to the ground.Senior Quimby Ghilotti, 18, was killed in the June 2 accident.
"When I see the faces of those who fell, I realize I am looking at miracles," student Alexis Johansson said during Thursday's commencement ceremony. "The price of the future is sometimes the pain of the past. Live life to the fullest, because every day is a gift from God."
The celebration was muted as 16 injured students lined up to accept their diplomas in wheelchairs. Two students were on stretchers, brought by ambulance to the ceremony on the school's football field. One student, Maureen Rodgers, was not well enough to participate.
Reminders of Ghilotti were evident throughout the ceremony. Many students wore pink ribbons in her honor. Her mother addressed the class after accepting the girl's diploma.
"Parents, love your children, because it's not easy being a teenager in this world. Teens, love your parents, because it's not easy being a parent in this world. Be safe tonight," Victoria Nelson said.
The ceremony was dedicated to Ghilotti and Gerardo Soria, a student who died Tuesday of bone cancer.