70-year-old fulfills lifelong dream of pledging fraternity

ROSSELVILLE, AR (KTRK) -- For many students, pledging a fraternity is an important part of the college experience. An Arkansas student, however, is living proof that even the young at heart can have a good time in school.

Meet Gary Fryer, a 70-year-old Arkansas Tech University student who never thought he would join the Kappa Sig brotherhood -- until now.

Fryer says he and his older brother Jack always hung out with Kappa Sigs when they were younger.

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"I ran into the Kappa Sig guys, and I told them about my former connections -- my two brothers, my other family members," Fryer told KTHV-TV.

"Luke, our president, says, 'Why don't you go through rush and let us bid you?'" Fryer recalled. "That's about the craziest thing I ever heard."

He went through the full rush process, attending mixers and getting highly involved with the organization.

"He comes to everything -- every meeting, every community service event. He was by far the most talked-to person there," said fraternity president Luke Frederick.

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Fryer explained that joining the fraternity helped him connect on a deeper level with Jack, who passed away in 2015.

"I've had a lot of fun with the youngsters here. They just treat me great," he added.