Growing up in today’s world and knowing your parents are addicted to drugs is not the easiest thing. It could be a heavy burden on you and your siblings going so far as to tear your entire family apart. Charles Cole III wanted the best for his parents, and he believed that they could be success stories, but he needed to challenge them.

Charles Cole Jr and wife Renaté saw the drive and determination in their son and wanted to make him proud of them, which is not easy for most drug abusers. They were inspired by their son who showed them with dedication, they can do anything.

From Yahoo News:

One son was so proud of his parents finally graduating from college that he couldn’t help boast about their achievement on Twitter.

Charles L. Cole III’s well wish, in which he wrote, “My parents went back to college together and they graduated today. Together. #salute,” went viral, with nearly 5,000 people liking it.

It’s been a long road for Cole III’s father, Charles L. Cole Jr. and his wife Renaté, to graduate. After battling crack addictions, the two eventually became sober and were inspired by their eldest son to finish college.

The younger Cole, 33, obtained his bachelor’s degree in political science from California State University, East Bay, before earning his master’s degree from San Francisco State University. He’s now earning his doctorate in Educational Leadership at San Francisco State.

“Our son is a go-getter,” the elder Cole told ABC News. “By seeing his energy [and] his drive to just do it that kind of pushes us.”

The elder Cole added that both he and his wife thought, “Well if he can do it, we can do it too. We embedded this in him.”

The two have now been sober for more than two decades. For Cole Jr., he boasts he got clean on Feb. 13, 1995, while Renaté has been sober since Dec. 4, 1994.

“It was our purpose in life to be educated in this way,” Renaté said. “To just see the fruit [of your labor] that if you continue to work hard, if you continue to believe, if you continue to hold on, God will help you do whatever it is you’re called to do.”

Both said they hope to use their degrees to further their ministry, particularly in helping homeless veterans. They’re both on the ministerial staff at The Light Christian Church in Sacramento, and hope to start their church after obtaining their doctorates.

Here is Cole Jr who is now cleaned up and with purpose. This is a far cry from being a drug user:

Cole III is an amazing young man with an awesome story. For parents to make a turnaround like this and gain their degrees, beating drugs, and being the best they can be should be an inspiration to anyone and everyone.

Share this wonderful story of success on your Twitter/Facebook timeline. Let your family know just how special these two parents are and how they beat the odds. It’s not for everyone but it could be.

h/t – Yahoo News

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