Classmates donate to bring poor Nigerian mother to son's graduation.

 SHARE ON FACEBOOK SEND VIA EMAIL SEND ON WHATSAPPStudents of John Carroll School in Bel Air surprised their classmate, a Nigerian student Mike Tertsea, when donated money and flew his mother to attend his graduation from high school. Mike comes from a poor family and is the only child.

Mike's mum Felicia Ikpum in warm embrace

56-year-old Felicia Ikpum, from Benue state, Nigeria, had not seen her son for four years and when he did he could not recognise him again as he had grown big.

Tertsea could not afford to go home to his mum during the holiday in his four years in high school and had no hope of any member of his family coming for his graduation from high school until the surprise pulled by his classmates.

"He has changed completely," a smiling Ikpum said after the school's baccalaureate ceremony.

Mike and his mother got a standing ovation as they were asked to come up on the stage. Credit: HuffingtonPost

According to Baltimore Sun, Tersea is a basketball player at John Carroll and plans to attend the University of Rhode Island. The whole senior class joined by faculty members pitched in to make it possible for his mother to come for his graduation from high school.

"I was really, really surprised," Mike said with a wide smile after the ceremony. "It is really a blessing and I thank everyone for coming here."

Mike Tertsea and mum at his graduation ceremony

"It was a tough drive for her," Mike said. "She said at one point, she felt like giving up."

It was also her first time on an airplane, and "for a while, she couldn't recognize me and couldn't believe it was her son," Mike added.

Toward the end of the school's annual ceremony and mass, Principal Madelyn Ball told the friends and relatives gathered in the gym that one student had asked "is Mike's mom coming to graduation?".

Tersea is a basketball player, 6 feet and 10 inches tall. Credit: HuffingtonPost

"Everyone was concerned because, you see, Mike has not been home for four years," Ball said. She then explained how the senior class was able to raise $1,763 for his mom's trip.

When "there were some issues once the flight was booked," because the class was about $500 short, class co-advisor Carrie Siemsen raised the remaining money within a few hours by emailing faculty and staff.

Mike and his mother got a standing ovation as they were asked to come up on the stage, where they each thanked the senior class for bringing them together.

Some students seemed to be wiping away tears as Mike and his mother made their way to the stage.

Mike said he is an only child and his mother is his only immediate relative.

Wow! What a reunion.