JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Florida's military community has a new addition: Ashanti Curry of Jacksonville graduated last week from the United States Naval Academy.
ActionNewsJax first introduced you to Curry when she was 17 years old and her dream of attending the Naval Academy almost didn't happen.
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Her smile says it all. It’s even more of an accomplishment when you consider what it took to get her here.
In 2013, the honor student faced losing her academy acceptance because it required both parents' signatures.
Moved me to tears. 5 yrs ago Ashanti Curry faced losing her U.S. Naval Academy acceptance because she couldn't get her dads signature. Our story helped make that happen, her mom just sent me these graduation pics "We did it, you did it." So proud of you Ashanti! @ActionNewsJax pic.twitter.com/U9fYn49m8B
— Paige Kelton (@PaigeANjax) June 4, 2018
Her father, former Jacksonville Jaguars player Eric Curry, was never in her life and had an arrest warrant out for unpaid child support. Her attempts to get him to sign all failed.
“This man has never made one decision in my life, but the most important decision that needs to be made he has that in his hands. I was very upset,” Curry said at the time.
Oh my goodness. This story just aired on CBS47 @ActionNewsJax and I'm glad I wasn't on TV right after... it really is dusty in the studio. What an amazing young lady. This makes me so happy. If you missed this, it's worth finding on https://t.co/LuSA7NzXVl https://t.co/mMMczW0Vc7
— John Bachman (@BachmanANjax) June 4, 2018
It took phone calls to Eric Curry, his attorney, U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson’s office and eventually a temporary stay of his arrest warrant.
But finally, Curry got the signature she needed.
Now, five years later, she's graduated from the Naval Academy. Her first salute was to her stepfather, a gunnery sergeant in the Marine Corps.
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Curry is now writing the next chapter to her story, a story of service that Jacksonville and our country can be proud of.
Curry's mother contacted ActionNewsJax's Paige Kelton on Facebook this weekend with pictures and two words that were a reminder of the power one person's story can have. The picture was of Curry's graduation, the words – "thank you."
Still trying to get the first story we did on Ashanti Curry online. Yes, it was that long so. But here was today’s update. So proud of this young women. #Jax can be proud of 2nd Lt. Curry. https://t.co/KThU09GLok @ActionNewsJax pic.twitter.com/VnNVpSLaRX
— Paige Kelton (@PaigeANjax) June 5, 2018
Congratulations Ashanti! Here’s the story we told at the beginning of her journey. Thanks for trusting me with it https://t.co/4Bcs9HE8RD @USMC @NavalAcademy @ActionNewsJax https://t.co/LAGTWOnKgR
— Paige Kelton (@PaigeANjax) June 5, 2018
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