Three hundred and seventy five students graduated Friday from Boca Ciega High School. Among them was one student who's lucky to even be alive to graduate. 

• Pinellas student shot in 2013 beats odds, graduates high school
• Quade Everett shot in head, shoulder by St. Pete officer
• Everett was expected to be in a vegetative state
• Everett now able to walk, talk, and graduated HS

It's taken Quade Everett, 22, five years to earn his diploma. 

In 2013, a rookie St. Petersburg police officer shot him in the head and shoulder, suspecting he had stolen a truck. 

Officer Brian Fernandez was later fired for what the then-interim Chief called a "bad decision."

Doctors said if Everett survived the shooting, he'd be in a vegetative state--unable to walk or talk. 

Not only did he beat those odds, he was able to learn and study and finish school. 

"He still has a bullet in his head. He still has seizures, but I can tell that this kid is amazing," Everett's mother Laquanda said. 

On Friday, Everett was able to walk on his own across the stage to receive his diploma. 

"The only thing that went through my mind is that I got shot and I still beat the odds," Everett said. 

"He needed to prove everyone wrong," Laquanda said, "because as an African-American man they do not expect us to reach the heights that we reach. And today, I said, Quade, you're the message. You're the message for every African-American, for the Browns, for the Martins, for all the ones who fell to gun violence by the hand of people that we're supposed to trust. You have proven them wrong."

Everett now wants to build a novelty t-shirt business with the hopes of going to college soon. 

"My message is don't give up. You've got hurdles, just leap them and keep working, and keep your mind on the prize," he said.