Jacob Ptak, with his mother, Donna Ptak, attend the scholar luncheon sponsored by The Legacy Guild.

Jacob Ptak’s father never saw him graduate from high school. After being diagnosed with tonsil cancer just as Jacob was starting his freshman year at Lyons Township High School, Roman Ptak, a factory worker and Polish immigrant, died in 2015 when his son was a junior.

“I was hoping that my father could witness me walk across the stage and cheer me on as I grasped my high school diploma. Unfortunately, life had another plan,” wrote Ptak in an essay submitted to The Legacy Guild, a nonprofit organization that provides scholarships to young people who have lost a parent.

Besides financial assistance, the organization, which was founded in 2012, also provides mentoring and guidance to young people to help them achieve their dreams. It also seeks to show the families that their loved ones have not been forgotten.

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