Aunt and niece to graduate high school together

ALBANY, GA (WALB) - Graduation is a special time for most high school students, even more so when they are related.

But for one Dougherty County family, a unique experience has occurred.

WALB spoke with the aunt and niece duo, who will cross the stage together.

These two 18-year-olds are aunt and niece, sharing a rare bond, who a lot of people have trouble wrapping their minds around.

“They be surprised... ‘You said--that’s your auntie?’ But y’all in the same grade,” said Melody Harris and Janverly Sutton.

A family bond between aunt and niece takes an unusual turn as they prepare to graduate together.

At five months apart, Harris is the aunt of Sutton.

Sutton’s mom, Amanda Taylor, was pregnant at the same time as her mother, making her a big sister.

“When my mom told me that she was expecting, I didn’t know that a little bit later down the line that I would find out that I was expecting,” explained Taylor.

And at 21, Taylor would meet not only her daughter, but her baby sister as well.

“Ever since we were little, it’s like we were joined at the hip. Every time you see her, you see me,” said Sutton.

The aunt and niece duo have matriculated together since middle school, with Aunt Harris even having to discipline her niece at school.

“She was fixing to get in trouble and they called me to the front office (That’s wasn’t funny) and they were like ‘so are you going to whoop her or something?"said Harris.

But since the two operate like sisters, it was pretty hard for her to imagine actually disciplining Sutton.

“I had to pretend like I had to take her to the bathroom and pretend to be screaming at her,” exclaimed Harris.

Now the two prepare to part ways after graduation in a few weeks, attending different colleges on opposite ends of the state.

“We’re used to living like (snap) that from each other, so now we’re getting ready to be three hours a part, it’s going to feel weird,” said Sutton.

But no love will be lost here, as this aunt and her niece have built the ultimate bond.

“She’s my best friend and I wouldn’t change that for the world,” said Harris.

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