'Nothing is going to stop me': Woman graduates while in labor, heads to hospital right after

DEARBORN, Mich (FOX 2) - Henry Ford College grad Kelsey Hudie said nothing was going to stop her from walking across that stage, not even her new baby that was about to arrive.

"I remember how excited I was in high school and when I walked that stage, so I was like nothing is going to stop me even if I have the baby and have to hold her in my arms," she said.

She didn't have her baby in her arms Saturday, but she was 38 weeks pregnant and dilated. 

"I was supposed to be due on May 26 and graduate at the beginning of the month, so I figured that’s perfect. Graduate, have the baby," Hudie said.

A family member who works at the college made sure Hudie could receive her degree and make it to the hospital to give birth.

"She was asking her colleagues is there a way to go straight to the auditorium and not like exactly walk in with everybody? They said yes and then that lady that she talked to, talked to another lady who talked to the president, and the president was like well, we’ll just seat her on stage and get her her diploma and get her in and out," Hudie said.

The school's president, Russell Kavalhuna, came on stage early and called Hudie up, so she could receive her associate in arts. 

After getting her degree, she headed to the hospital and gave birth to her baby girl on Monday.

"Just don’t give up, that's just the biggest thing. Don't give up. If you have a goal, meet it," she said.

Hudie plans to continue her education at Eastern Michigan University, where she wants to get a degree in teaching.