Ricky Moore is a late bloomer in the world of higher education. However, he’s not letting that halt his dream of becoming a pharmacist.

Moore spent eight years in the mines in the Rock Spring Development until 2015 when the closed the mine laying off all the miners.

“We knew something was happening when they began to cut our hours,” said Moore.

As a single father he was not left with many options other than finding a job. Moore began working as a pharmacy tech at the Kroger in Russell, Kentucky. There Moore says he found his passion and decided to take a jump, quit his job, and fully enroll in Marshall’s School of Pharmacy.

After receiving scholarships he was accepted to the school and has now completed his first week of classes.

“I want to show my daughter she can do things just like I did when I put my mind to it,” said Moore.

Moore says he now wants to also be an inspiration for other miners who are forced to hang up their hard hats and take on new futures.