There's good news tonight about pomp and circumstance, but also gratitude. In a special way, the class of 2024 is saying thank you to the people who worked so hard to get them to where they are. Brenda Bernice Gonzales-Nazario. The walk across the stage is usually the emotional moment for graduates. But for Brenda Gonzales, it was this walk that meant the most. Yes. That's her, days before graduating, surprising her mother, Ana Lucia, in her break room at her job at a meat factory. And putting that symbol of hard work and accomplishment engagement, the cap and gown, on her.

And I'm like, You did it, Mom. We did it. She made my dream came true. She paid my college. Oh, my God.

She's like, Oh, she's going to sign A heartfelt thank you to the single mom of five from Mexico who worked three jobs to keep the family afloat.

She deserved it more than I do.

So many first-generation college grads delivering the same powerful message to their parents. We did this together. That's Ivan Hernández, graduating from Graceland University, when he put the cap on his dad, who was overwhelmed with emotion. At Azusa University in California? Lisette Flores. You see the parents of Lisette Flores when she walked across the stage yesterday. She's the first in her family to graduate college. Do you think you could have done it without your parents' support?

I definitely don't think so.

When she had her official grad photos taken, she knew what she had to do.

I definitely felt like I needed to include my parents because they were such a big part of my educational journey.

This graduation season, now a season of gratitude for students like Celeste Zamora.

It wasn't just me who graduated. My parents also graduated with me.

We did it. We did it. Remember Brenda and her mother? That's them after graduation, celebrating what they both accomplished.

Because of her believing in me and her sacrificing a lot of stuff to make sure my dreams come true, it's like her dreams came true.

Just a huge congratulations to those grads and to their families, including, by the way, Brenda's sister, who's set to start college this fall. Thanks for watching. Stay updated about breaking news and top stories on the NBC News app or follow us on social media.