49-year-old woman finally gets high school diploma after life of 'abuse, dysfunction and pain'

A woman has overcome adversary and received her high school diploma at the age of 49.

Catarina Morales Reyna, from California, graduated from Sanger Adult School with a high school diploma following years of drugs and gang involvement.

Tony Cabrera, news anchor for Action News, shared 49-year-old Reyna’s story.

He asked his Facebook followers to congratulate her.

Her post candidly shared trauma from her life, including taking drugs when she was younger.

She wrote:

I wanted to share with you that at the age of 49 I’m finally getting my high school diploma from Sanger High tonight. I came from a life of abuse, dysfunction and pain. I took drugs at a young age and did things I had no business doing to get them.

I went on to worsen things. I spent 5 years in the Valley State Prison for women – worse place anyone could be. Along the way I had children – 7 to be exact, which I lost custody to all but one.

But today my brother I’ve been clean 7 years, been out of prison 10 years and I got ALL my children back in my life today.

I’m so grateful for life today and I’m truly blessed. It feels so right to be in my own skin. I’m free Tony, and as [I] look back it’s only to remember that I’ve come a long way and I never wanna go back’.

The post has been shared almost 200 times, with people writing in from all across the world congratulating Reyna.

One person wrote:

It’s never too late to start over. Congrats on your accomplishment. You should be very proud of yourself.

Another added:

Congratulations on graduating and staying clean, Blessings and may yo[u] have a great life with your kids now.

H/T ABC30