A sense of loss hung tight over Saturday’s Gray-New Gloucester High School graduation, where students were mourning the recent death of a classmate, and remembering two other students lost before their time.

But so was a sense of hope and accomplishment, and an understanding of the complexities of life, with its highs and lows, its wonder and tragedy.

As part of the ceremony, students Elyse Doyle, Ryan Woodbury and Sam Begala performed the song “Angel” in remembrance of Joshua Libby, a sophomore who was killed last week in an auto accident. Diplomas were given to the families of Jessica Anketell and Nicholas Kennedy, both of whom died in the last year, and Audrey Mooney, a receptionist in the main office who died in March, was also remembered.

In his address, Principal Paul Penna addressed the students, and the “dear, sweet nature of life.” Life must be accepted on its own terms, said Penna. Sometimes you get to celebrate, and other times, you have to mourn, he said.

“Fate has called on us to do both at once,” Penna told the crowd in front of him, and the graduates to his side.

Salutatorian Gianna Oddi also addressed last week’s tragedy, saying Libby’s death had forced her to rewrite her speech. She spoke about questions that don’t have answers, and the need to realize life to its fullest.

“The only moment we can grasp is this one,” said Oddi. “You never know when you’ll no longer have the chance.”

The guest speaker, too, knew something about tragedy, and about moving forward in the face of unimaginable adversity.

Travis Roy was 19 years old and a budding hockey star when, 11 seconds into his first shift at Boston University, he fell awkwardly against the boards and fell to the ice, paralyzed from the neck down.

To a hushed crowd at the Cumberland County Civic Center, Roy recounted how the morning of his first college game was the best of his life, and how he knew instantly that his injury had changed his life.

His once athletic and strong body was now useless, and just getting up in the morning and facing day became a struggle. But he knew the kind of person he wanted to be. The injury had not changed that, and through pure stubbornness he would not let it define him.

“It really came down to pride,” Roy said. “Pride is knowing that you tried your best, that you didn’t let your friends, teachers and families down.”

He also spoke on the preciousness of life. The people around you are special, he said, you have to let them know it.

“The key is to acknowledge those feelings, and to let those people around you know about them,” he said.

Travis Roy, the former North Yarmouth Academy hockey star who was paralyzed 11 seconds into his first shift at Boston University, speaks about how he coped with the injury at Saturday’s Gray-New Gloucester High School graduation. “It really came down to pride,” Roy told the graduates. “Pride is knowing that you tried your best, that you didn’t let your friends, teachers and families down.”

A sense of loss hung tight over Saturday’s Gray-New Gloucester High School graduation, where students were mourning the recent death of a classmate, and remembering two other students lost before their time.

But so was a sense of hope and accomplishment, and an understanding of the complexities of life, with its highs and lows, its wonder and tragedy.

As part of the ceremony, students Elyse Doyle, Ryan Woodbury and Sam Begala performed the song “Angel” in remembrance of Joshua Libby, a sophomore who was killed last week in an auto accident. Diplomas were given to the families of Jessica Anketell and Nicholas Kennedy, both of whom died in the last year, and Audrey Mooney, a receptionist in the main office who died in March, was also remembered.

In his address, Principal Paul Penna addressed the students, and the “dear, sweet nature of life.” Life must be accepted on its own terms, said Penna. Sometimes you get to celebrate, and other times, you have to mourn, he said.

“Fate has called on us to do both at once,” Penna told the crowd in front of him, and the graduates to his side.

Salutatorian Gianna Oddi also addressed last week’s tragedy, saying Libby’s death had forced her to rewrite her speech. She spoke about questions that don’t have answers, and the need to realize life to its fullest.

“The only moment we can grasp is this one,” said Oddi. “You never know when you’ll no longer have the chance.”

The guest speaker, too, knew something about tragedy, and about moving forward in the face of unimaginable adversity.

Travis Roy was 19 years old and a budding hockey star when, 11 seconds into his first shift at Boston University, he fell awkwardly against the boards and fell to the ice, paralyzed from the neck down.

To a hushed crowd at the Cumberland County Civic Center, Roy recounted how the morning of his first college game was the best of his life, and how he knew instantly that his injury had changed his life.

His once athletic and strong body was now useless, and just getting up in the morning and facing day became a struggle. But he knew the kind of person he wanted to be. The injury had not changed that, and through pure stubbornness he would not let it define him.

“It really came down to pride,” Roy said. “Pride is knowing that you tried your best, that you didn’t let your friends, teachers and families down.”

He also spoke on the preciousness of life. The people around you are special, he said, you have to let them know it.

“The key is to acknowledge those feelings, and to let those people around you know about them,” he said.

Travis Roy, the former North Yarmouth Academy hockey star who was paralyzed 11 seconds into his first shift at Boston University, speaks about how he coped with the injury at Saturday’s Gray-New Gloucester High School graduation. “It really came down to pride,” Roy told the graduates. “Pride is knowing that you tried your best, that you didn’t let your friends, teachers and families down.”