WHITE BEAR LAKE, Minn. — When Gabe Kessel was diagnosed with a rare, aggressive form of brain cancer, the doctors told him he might not live until his high school graduation. 

He recently proved them wrong by walking across the stage to get his diploma as a student-athlete in White Bear Lake.

“It’s a day that last year we didn’t honestly know if we were gonna be at,” Kessel’s dad told KARE 11. 

Kessel was diagnosed with a Diffuse Midline Glioma last year after he suffered a severe headache while wrestling in a tournament. He had to retire from the high school wrestling team during his senior year to focus on battling cancer. 

KARE 11 caught up with Kessel at his graduation and he shared what is next: 

“For me, it’s just more treatments, I’m not going to school or getting a job because I have to focus on beating cancer,” Kessel said. 

Kessel said he was excited to graduate. 

“I feel great actually, no medicine is going through my veins, my appetite is back,” he said.