PALMDALE, Calif. – It is impossible to miss the giant billboard near 25th Street East and East Palmdale Boulevard.

It may not be the graduation present he asked for, but high school senior John Mackey Junior was blown away by what his parents did for him: they bought a billboard with his name and face on it to represent four years of hard work at Knight High School.

“I didn’t know what was happening because I’m 17 I was thinking like maybe it’s a car. I don’t know what was happening so when I turned around and looked up this smile just goes on my face,” said John Mackey Junior.

John Mackey Junior’s parents were planning on prom and graduation expenses. Since none of that is happening they decided to funnel that money into this very public display.

“We’re extremely proud of him. That’s the whole point of this billboard just to let him know,” said John Mackey Senior.

Before he started high school John Mackey Junior’s sister passed away, yet he never lost sight of his goal. He wants to DJ and own a business.

This fall he is majoring in business administration at California State University Los Angeles. That means remote learning isn’t over for him since the school announced the fall semester will be online. He also won’t be able to move away from home like so many other college freshmen.

“My love just runs so deep because I know that my mom and my dad go that extra mile. I’ve never heard of somebody buying a billboard for their child,” said John Mackey Junior.

There will also be a second billboard for John Mackey Junior. His dad said it should go up June 4 because that is when John Mackey Junior was supposed to walk in the high school graduation ceremony.