A South Carolina family just had a whole lot to celebrate when a 49 year-old father and his 23 year-old son graduated from college at the same time.

Antonio Gathers and his son Brandon both graduated from South Carolina State University last Friday. Antonio earned a master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling while Brandon got a bachelor’s degree in Business Management. Brandon told reporters before the ceremony that having his dad at school has been a major motivating factor for him in the last four years.

“He’s a God-fearing man, he’s successful, he’s intelligent, he knows what he’s doing,” Brandon said. “He is just a great person in general.”

Meanwhile, Antonio said Brandon’s determination has served as motivation for him as well.

“He was an inspiration to me, just seeing his perseverance,” he said. “Doing other things, and having a full-time career, you kind of put yourself on the back burner. And it was just really important to me to get his degree to pursue another avenue in my life and in my career so that I could help people.”

“It is so real right now,” Antonio added before the graduation. “Because as he aforestated, I never would have thought that this day would be here, that we would be graduating together.”

Brandon could not be happier about walking in graduation with his father, as it is a day that he will never forget.

“He’s like my inspiration,” Brandon said of his dad. “He is the perfect model of a black male father figure.”

Find out more about this father and son’s special day in the video below.