VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A Virginia Beach family is celebrating a major milestone after a challenging journey for their son.
Fifth-grader Landyn Davis was among dozens of students recognized Thursday during Holland Elementary School’s promotion ceremony, marking the end of elementary school and the transition to middle school.
For Landyn’s family, the moment carried extra meaning.
Landyn was struck in the head by a stray bullet in 2024 when he was 8 years old. After months of recovery, he returned to in-person learning for the first time during this school year.
“It makes me feel good because he gets that sense of being the same kid he was before he was shot,” Emily Rigsby, Landyn’s mother, told News 3 back in August.
Rigsby said the family initially hoped this school year would simply provide a return to normalcy for their son. Instead, she said the experience exceeded their expectations.
“Nobody treated him any differently, as if it never happened, so it was beautiful to watch,” Rigsby said.
Along with receiving his certificate to move on to sixth grade, Landyn also received a citizenship award during the ceremony.
His family credits the teachers and staff at Holland Elementary for helping him continue to move forward after the shooting.
Jennifer Nguyen, one of Landyn’s teachers, said watching his progress throughout the school year has been rewarding.
“He has been a joy, and he has worked really, really hard,” Nguyen said. “We’re really excited for him to go off to middle school, but really sad for him leaving us.”
As students head into summer break, Landyn said he does not have many plans just yet, but is ready for the next chapter.
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