I want to say a big congratulations to my dear friend Ricky Smiley and his son Malik, who just graduated college with honors. All right, so this amazing opportunity is granted [00:00:16] because of an amazing dad like Ricky Smiley leading the way, so here's Ricky paying tribute on his program. >> Speaker 2: I am so proud, I was feeling kind of some kind of way this morning, [00:00:33] It was hard to get up this morning, It was one of those crawl to the next day mornings. But I'm glad I actually made it in our son, ladies, did you hear me say our? [00:00:49] All the ladies that listen to the radio, did you hear me say our? I didn't say my, our son, let's start using that word more I learned that in family court. Not your son not my son, It's our son Is graduating [00:01:04] from Alabama State University on tomorrow, Malik Smiley [APPLAUSE]. >> Malik. >> I got him on the phone, hey Mally. >> Speaker 3: Yes sir. >> Speaker 2: What up, boy? [00:01:20] >> Everything fine. >> Speaker 2: Hey, you up early this morning, are you excited? >> Speaker 3: Yes sir, yeah. >> I know you are because he didn't worry me to death about his clothes, Bret, he got a nice little suit. >> I know, he got to be sharp now. [00:01:36] >> Speaker 3: Got to be sharp, that's a real date, now here's the footage, Ricky of your son accepting [00:01:55] the conference of the degree, here it is. [NOISE] Such a beautiful thing, [00:02:10] put up the picture of the family full mass, such a beautiful picture, beautiful family, beautiful occasion and there's this. Congratulations obviously Ricky, that's in order, Ricky Smiley morning show, you all paid great tribute to him 2023 graduating class. [00:02:27] Now, this is your son joining the ranks of notable HBCU graduates like yourself dear brother, so talk about the moment. >> Speaker 3: The moment was great, Dr Richard, thank you for doing that for him, [00:02:43] I'm trying not to cry. Dr Richard, you know it's been a rough year, I lost my oldest son, Brandon and my son texted me with a graduation date. I cried all day and I just asked God to just allow [00:02:59] me to see it, I need something, I need that. Both my kids graduated this year, my youngest daughter graduated Bella University. Aaron Smiley, who's a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, incorporated and [00:03:15] then Malik graduated. It meant a lot my son struggled with depression, my son anxiety, all of this stuff, he had all of these issues and still pushed through. Not only the issues, losing his brother, who he was raised in the same house with and still pushed through. [00:03:34] And now he's in graduate school and then he's going to be going to law school and he's excited about it, he's disciplined. IMG Academy, Lyman Ward Military Academy, when I tell you his discipline is on point, never ask for a dime. [00:03:52] Say dad, do you have any work for me, I need an extra $300 for this, that or the other. And just the way he is and how he conduct himself, yes sir, no sir thank you, good morning. Just the basic, fundamental old school parenting and all and I was hard on him, [00:04:10] I was really rough on him, probably too rough on him, but it paid off. So thank you so much for showing the video and it really mean a lot, It's emotional, It's deep and it's emotional. [00:04:26] >> Speaker 1: And we appreciate people like you, fathers like you, examples like you said. And I think it's important we highlight these traditions in a way that typically will not be highlighted publicly. [00:04:41] The reality is you have adopted children, you have cared for the children, you have mentored children into their absolute best selves. And this is another occasion of you leading one of your children to follow in your footsteps. [00:04:57] And they're going on to graduate school and law school and going to continue changing the world, just like yourself.