ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD -- A 15-year-old graduated with his associate’s degree from a college in Anne Arundel County, Md. on Thursday.
Torrington Ford started college at Anne Arundel County Community College at age 12. He worked on his high school diploma simultaneously.
“I’m just focused on trying to get to my dream," he said.
His mother, Tarita Ford, chose to start homeschooling her son for religious reasons when he was 2 years old.
She aimed to get him to say "wow" at least once a day.
But it wasn’t easy. Tarita Ford was in a near-fatal car crash before her son was born. While she was teaching her son, she was learning how to walk again.
"The doctors wanted to amputate, but I continued to fight. I continued to go through occupational therapy, physical therapy and the likes, and after seven years, after seven orthopedic surgeries, I was able to walk again," said Tarita Ford.
She said he thinks other kids out there could achieve what her son has, if they’re willing to put the work in.
"It does take work. I cannot lie about that," said Torrington.
He attributes his success to having a support system like his mother.
"She's the one who says 'OK, you fell down? Get up. Keep going. Chase the dream,'” he said.
Torrington developed a passion for airplanes as a young kid. His dream, is to one day be a pilot for commercial airliners.
He got his first taste of flight a few weeks ago.
"The feeling of being in that cockpit, the feeling of the plane completely in my hands, being able to take off…fly, handle crosswinds, land it. It was almost just like breathing air. It was just a beautiful smooth experience," he said.
What are Tarita Ford’s dreams for her son?
“To take the bull by the horns," she said. "And just go for it. I’m looking forward to him excelling and following his dreams.”
Mother and son will be moving to Columbus Ohio this summer to attend Ohio State University’s Aeronautical Engineering Program. Torrington is expected to graduate before he’s out of his teens.
