Jimmy Fallon Made A Surprise Speech To Stoneman Douglas High Graduates: ‘Keep Changing The World’

Months after the February massacre at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, nearly 800 students graduated on Sunday. Their year has been consumed with grief and the push for reform in gun control laws, but at least today, they reaped the benefits of slight comic relief from Jimmy Fallon. The late-night host delivered a surprise keynote address and tweeted a snippet, above, while urging them to “keep changing the world.”

Nikolas Cruz carried out the attack that killed 17 people, including four who would have graduated today. During his speech, Fallon struck some somber notes. “When something feels hard; remember that it gets better,” he told them. “Choose to move forward. Don’t let anything stop you.”

However, the comic also kept things somewhat light while forecasting how the survivors would someday be like any other former high school pals. “You won’t be classmates anymore,” he quipped. “You’ll be adults who Facebook search each other at 2:00 in the morning for the next 10 years.” So true.

In the wake of the Parkland massacre, Fallon was a vocal proponent of the students’ calls for increased gun control laws. He even walked alongside many of them within the March For Our Lives in Washington, D.C. Watch his full keynote speech (which earned multiple laughs) below.