ADAMS — He was born with cerebral palsy and autism and later confined to a wheelchair. When he was 2 weeks old, he had a brain infection that doctors thought was life-threatening. They didn't even think he would survive the trip to Syracuse for treatment.

Saturday morning, at age 21, Michael W. "Mikey" Ashcraft graduated from South Jefferson Central School.

"We've had a lot of milestones with Mikey," said his mother, Christine A. Joseph. "I never anticipated one this good. It's just incredible that he was able to accomplish this. It's a special time for the entire family."

Michael's brother, Navy Fireman Machinists Mate Striker Andrew J.G. Ashcraft, 22, pushed his brother across the stage to receive his diploma.

Andrew is a command assistant master at arms and is in the middle of transferring from the Naval Branch Health Clinic in Groton, Conn., to Virginia to serve on the amphibious assault ship USS Baton. He was able to get an extension on his transfer so he could be home for the graduation.

"It's been a long road for both of us," Andrew said.

When the boys were younger and attended Watertown city schools, Andrew used to have to protect his brother from other students' insults and remarks.

"I fought long and hard for Mikey to get what everyone else got," he said. "I used to walk around with a hunch on my shoulder thinking everyone was picking on him."

Their family moved to Adams and the boys began attending school in the South Jefferson Central School District. Michael and Andrew were not teased anymore.

"I couldn't be more proud of him," Andrew said. "It makes all the hard times worth it. It made us all stronger people. Mikey is probably the reason any of us are who we are today."

Andrew will be stationed in Virginia until he is deployed in April. The graduation most likely was the last time the boys will be together before Andrew's deployment.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," Andrew said.

Andrew made his brother a shirt to wear at graduation under his gown. The shirt read, "This sailor is a proud brother of an 08 graduate" and had pictures of the two brothers.

"Every step that Mikey makes is an accomplishment," Mrs. Joseph said.

She commends the South Jefferson Central School District for mainstreaming students like Mikey, helping him gain interaction with other students. Because of Mikey's level of handicap, he was eligible to stay in school until he was 21, which is what Mrs. Joseph decided to have him do.

"I wanted him to be with his friends and peers," she said. "Everybody knows him and talks to him."

Mrs. Joseph and her husband, James R. Joseph, the boys' stepfather, took Mikey to a graduation rehearsal last week and were able to see what he was like in his school setting.

"I think the part that made me want to cry instantly was how the kids just included him like he was one of them," Mrs. Joseph said.

"That's the part that gets me choked up," Andrew said. "The way people treat him."