Master of motherhood: Mom receives honorary MBA alongside quadriplegic son

Moms can’t always fix everything…but they sure can make things better.

Mom and retired middle school teacher at Linda Vista Elementary in Orange, California, Judy O’Connor, wanted to help her son in whatever way she could—and she did.

Judy’s son Marty O’Connor, 29, suffered a terrible accident on August 12, 2012 where he fell down a flight of stairs, leaving him unable to use his arms or legs. He enrolled in the MBA program at Chapman University in 2015 despite being physically unable to take notes or written exams. “I didn’t know how going back to school without being able to write, or use my hands, or raise my hand in class, any of that, would go,” O’Connor told the Chapman University blog.

His mother Judy may not have been able to cure her son of his paralysis, but she could give him something he needed—her hands.

Although Marty had the help of an iPad, laptop, voice recognition software and a mouth stick, Judy O’Connor decided she would take on the full-time role of caregiver for her son. Judy attended every class with Marty over the course of his two-year MBA program. She took notes, got him to and from class and wheeled him across the stage on May 20th when he received his degree.

Little did Judy know, she was there for her degree, too.

Chapman University awarded Judy with an honorary MBA at graduation—which was Marty’s idea. He knew about this big surprise for weeks but kept it a secret until the big day. “She’s been instrumental in the past two years,” Marty told the Orange County Register.

“I was totally blown away,” Judy O’Connor told KTLA.

And we are blown away by your incredible generosity and big heart, mama. Thank you for inspiring us and for being a great role model for mothers everywhere.

Congratulations to both Marty and Judy O’Connor!