Liz almost didn't graduate from high school.

A neighbor of mine since elementary school, Liz Cleek (now Mooneyham) had a baby our junior year, and she's overcome a lot in the past 20 years. She now lives in Republic with her blended family, and in this week's episode of "Class Reunion," she tells us about graduating (again) alongside her son, Noah, and what it means to be raising kind kids in an era of divisiveness. Liz and I also share a deeper connection through our BFF dads, whom you'll hear about in the show. 

This episode is sponsored by Advanced Eyecare Kansas City.

Each week, I make a donation on behalf of the featured classmate, and this week's donation went to the Breast Care Foundation of the Ozarks, whose cancer support network helps thousands of Southwest Missourians every year. 

Follow "Class Reunion" on Instagram @classreunionpodcast. Become a Patreon at patreon.com/classreunionpodcast.

Thanks to Alyssa Vidales and Manuel Beltran for production assistance on this show.