Resilience and triumph

Resilience and triumph
Leon Cato’s journey to graduation
Cato, (far left in blue shirt) in his Community Leadership 5000 with his classmates. All photos courtesy Leon Cato.
Cato, (far left in blue shirt) in his Community Leadership 5000 with his classmates. All photos courtesy Leon Cato.

By Tracy Turner

COLUMBUS, Ohio – In December 2024, Leon Cato walked across the stage at The Ohio State University commencement ceremony, proud and emotional, receiving his bachelor’s degree in community leadership — a degree he had long hoped for but had taken him decades to achieve.

Ohio State President Walter “Ted” Carter Jr. shared Cato’s journey with the audience, noting, “Leon Cato’s path here today has been anything but traditional. Life’s challenges intervened, but Leon never gave up on his dream of becoming a Buckeye. Today, he proves that no obstacle is too great to prevent someone from achieving their goals.”

That recognition, delivered in front of his family and hundreds of his peers, was a moment Cato had imagined for years — a moment that symbolized not just the achievement of a degree, but the overcoming of nearly every obstacle life could throw at him.

Cato coaching a youth football team.

A heart attack on the field, and a dream to finish  

It was a brisk, fall evening when Cato, a 55-year-old Navy veteran and father of four, stood on the sidelines, coaching the youth team he mentored. The excitement of the game was palpable, the air sharp with the chill of the season.

But in an instant, everything changed. Cato felt a sharp pain in his chest. The heart attack hit him unexpectedly as he stood on the field.

“I coded three times on the way to the hospital,” Cato said. “When I woke up in the ICU, I didn’t know what had happened. The doctors told me they weren’t sure I’d walk again, much less be able to lead a normal life.”

Yet, even in the face of this health crisis, Cato didn’t stop.

“I couldn’t believe it,” Cato said. “But I wasn’t going to stop. I had too much to finish, too much to prove to myself.”

What he had to finish was a lifelong dream: earning his degree from Ohio State’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES).

Cato achieved that dream last month when he graduated — a milestone decades in the making.

Cato in the hospital in 2022 post open heart surgery.

The power of supportive professors

Cato credits much of his success to the support he received from his professors and instructors within the CFAES Department of Agricultural Communication, Education, and Leadership (ACEL). Their encouragement helped him persevere through challenges that might have otherwise derailed his education.

“Leon’s story is one of courage and perseverance,” said Jera Niewoehner-Green, assistant professor in ACEL. “His journey through loss, illness, and triumph is an inspiration to all of us. His dedication to learning and giving back to his community embodies the very spirit of leadership.”

Kenzie Johnston, one of Cato’s instructors in ACEL, emphasized his impact in the classroom.

“Leon brought so much life experience to our classes,” Johnston said. “He wasn’t just a student; he was a mentor to many of us. His resilience and determination to finish his degree were truly motivating.”

Cato said the support from his professors was instrumental in helping him achieve his goals.

“The professors in ACEL truly cared about me and my journey,” he said. “They didn’t just teach; they encouraged and supported me every step of the way.”

December 2024 CFAES graduates, from left to right, Emily Cooper, Chloe Greenlee, Rhiannon Hood, Savannah Sinclair and Cato

A lifetime of setbacks

Cato’s path to graduation was anything but traditional. After graduating high school in 1987, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, serving as a boatswain’s mate and spent four years stationed on various ships. His work on the USS Barnstable County took him overseas, where he was involved in transporting Marines and their equipment across the Mediterranean and South America.

“I joined the Navy right after high school because I wanted to do something bigger than myself,” Cato said. “It was the best decision I made at that time. It shaped who I am today.”

After his military service, Cato returned home to Columbus in 2002 and enrolled at Ohio State to pursue his college education. But his world came crashing down in 2006. His two-year-old daughter passed away suddenly from pneumonia, and just months later, Cato was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

As he fought cancer through chemotherapy and radiation for a year, Cato continued to attend classes, but the emotional toll was overwhelming.

“I was trying to be strong, trying to be the man I thought I should be,” Cato said. “But I just couldn’t keep it together. It was too much — fighting cancer, losing my daughter, and keeping up with school. Eventually, I had to step away.”

Thanks to the harrowing treatments, Cato has been cancer-free since.

The next decade was marked by health struggles and personal reflection. Cato stayed away from school, but he never gave up on the idea of returning.

A ‘now or never’ moment

In 2022, Cato faced another major health crisis: he needed open-heart surgery. Six of his arteries were severely blocked, requiring a quadruple bypass. The timing was particularly haunting. Cato was 52 years old at the time, the same age his mother had been when she passed away from heart complications.

“My grandfather also passed away at 53 from heart disease,” Cato said. “It hit me hard because I realized I could be staring down the same path. It made me even more determined to survive and do something with the time I had left.”

The surgery became the catalyst for Cato to return to Ohio State in 2023 and finish his degree in community leadership.

“That surgery was the ‘now or never’ moment,” he said. “I’d been through so much, but I was still here. I realized that if I didn’t finish what I started, I might never get another chance.”

Looking ahead

Now that he’s earned his bachelor’s degree, Cato isn’t stopping. He’s already making plans for his next chapter: graduate school. This fall, he’ll begin a master’s program at CFAES in agricultural communication and educational leadership, focusing on nonprofit leadership.

“My goal is to use my education to create more inclusive and supportive communities,” Cato said. “I’ve seen how leadership can change lives, and I want to be a part of that change.”

Cato hopes his journey inspires others to pursue their dreams, no matter the challenges they face.

“I’ve had classmates tell me that my story inspired them,” he said. “And that’s what it’s all about. I want to show people that it’s never too late. You just have to keep pushing.”